Queen Victoria Building (QVB)
City Center
Originally the city's produce market, this huge 1898 sandstone structure was handsomely restored with sweeping staircases, enormous stained-glass windows, and the 1-ton Royal Clock, which hangs from the glass roof. The clock chimes the hour from 9 am to 9 pm with four tableaux: the second shows Queen Elizabeth I knighting Sir Frances Drake; the last ends with an executioner chopping off King Charles I's head. The complex includes more than 200 boutiques and restaurants including the lovely Tea Room on Level 3. Boutiques on the upper floors are generally more upscale. Guided tours cost A$25 and depart Thursday and Saturday at noon; bookings are essential.
