Canberra Centenary Column
The Canberra Centenary Column is a sculpture in City Hill, Canberra, Australia. It was built to commemorate the city's centenary, and unveiled on 11 March 2014.[1][2]
Coordinates | 35.28143°S 149.12921°E[1] |
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Location | City Hill, Canberra |
Designer | Geoff Farquhar-Still |
Type | Obelisk |
Material | Stainless steel, granite, glass |
Width | 5 metres (16 ft) |
Height | 8.5 metres (28 ft) |
Opening date | 2014-03-11 |
The sculpture is an 8.5-metre (28 ft) stainless steel obelisk on a 5-metre-wide (16 ft)[3] granite-dressed concrete base. The top of the base is inlaid with glass tiles and has a steel covering etched with images depicting Canberra's 100-year history.[4] It was designed by local artist Geoff Farquhar-Still. The design was inspired by the "Commencement Column" that was proposed to have been built when Canberra was founded, but was never completed.[1][lower-alpha 1]
Encased in the base is a time capsule containing one hundred objects,[6] both symbolic and mundane.[7] The time capsule is intended to be opened in 100 years,[6] during Canberra's bicentenary.[8] The ACT Heritage Library and the National Film and Sound Archive have catalogues of the capsule's contents, and copies of some of the items.[9]
Notes
- The Commencement Column was to have been built on three foundation stones that were laid in 1913 to mark the founding of Canberra. The column was never constructed; the foundation stones have since been moved, and are included on the Commonwealth Heritage List.[5]
References
- h (13 June 2014). "Canberra Centenary Column". artsACT. ACT Government. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
- "Canberra's first 100 years sealed in centenary time capsule". ACT Government. 10 April 2014. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
- Jane Easthope (13 December 2013). "Questions and Answers about the Canberra Centenary Column and Time Capsule". Canberra CBD Limited. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
- David Ellery (11 March 2014). "Centenary column ticks off some unfinished business for Canberra". The Canberra Times. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
- "Commencement Column Monument (Place ID 105347)". Australian Heritage Database. Department of the Environment.
- Louise Maher (11 March 2014). "Time capsule sealed inside Canberra's new Centenary Column". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
- Stephen Easton (11 March 2014). "Monumental end to Centenary". Canberra CityNews. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
- Launch of the Canberra Centenary Column. YouTube. 11 March 2014. Event occurs at 2:20.
- "HMSS 0375 Canberra Centenary Time Capsule". ACT Heritage Library Manuscript Collections. ACT Government. 29 May 2014. Retrieved 12 October 2014.