Sydney Mint
Encyclopedia
The Sydney Mint in Sydney
, Australia
, is the oldest public building in the Sydney Central Business District. Built between 1811 and 1816 as the southern wing of the Sydney Hospital
, it was then known as the Rum Hospital. In 1854 a mint
was established on the site with the hospital building used to house mint staff as well as providing a residence for the Deputy Mint Master. A coining factory was built at the rear. Both of these structures have exceptional heritage significance and have been associated with major events in New South Wales
history.
Located in Sydney’s CBD
at 10 Macquarie Street
, it is near many other famous Australian historical buildings including Hyde Park Barracks
, the Queen Victoria Building
and Parliament House
. It is now the head office of the Historic Houses Trust of New South Wales and sections of the building are open to the public.
in Sydney which was to be his first major public building. The contractors were paid with 45,000 gallons of rum hence the name Rum Hospital. Construction was completed in 1816.
Its design is loosely based on ancient AAG Greek
architecture with its two tiers of columns made of cedar timber in the style of Doric
mouldings. The columns are angled inwards creating an optical illusion imitating the Parthenon
in Athens
.
A dispensary opened in 1842 replacing the south wing after which the rest of the site was used as a military hospital until 1854.
outside England
. The rear side of the mint became the coining factory. There were frequently major upgrades on the mint during the late 1800s and the early 1900s. However, by 1926, with the Melbourne
and Perth Mint
s having much better technology and being more profitable, the mint was closed.
It was expected that law courts will be established after the demolitions, however activists successfully led a campaign in 1979 to preserve the Mint buildings as well as Hyde Park Barracks. The premier of New South Wales, Neville Wran
, announced that the Mint would come under control of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences. The museum
closed down in 1997 and the building’s ownership was transferred to the Historic Houses Trust.
The Mint was recently named as one of 30 projects that have reshaped the built environment since 1978. "The refurbishment project is an example of the Integration of services systems (by Steensen Varming
), to provide a modern, functional headquarters while minimising the impact on the heritage and archaeological fabric of a site.
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, is the oldest public building in the Sydney Central Business District. Built between 1811 and 1816 as the southern wing of the Sydney Hospital
Sydney Hospital
Sydney Hospital is a major hospital in Sydney, Australia, located on Macquarie Street in the Sydney central business district. It is the oldest hospital in Australia, dating back to 1788, and has been at its current location since 1811. It first received the name Sydney Hospital in 1881.Currently...
, it was then known as the Rum Hospital. In 1854 a mint
Mint (coin)
A mint is an industrial facility which manufactures coins for currency.The history of mints correlates closely with the history of coins. One difference is that the history of the mint is usually closely tied to the political situation of an era...
was established on the site with the hospital building used to house mint staff as well as providing a residence for the Deputy Mint Master. A coining factory was built at the rear. Both of these structures have exceptional heritage significance and have been associated with major events in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
history.
Located in Sydney’s CBD
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
at 10 Macquarie Street
Macquarie Street, Sydney
Macquarie Street is the easternmost street of Sydney's central business district. Macquarie Street extends from Hyde Park at its southern end to the Sydney Opera House at its north.-Description:...
, it is near many other famous Australian historical buildings including Hyde Park Barracks
Hyde Park Barracks, Sydney
The Hyde Park Barracks is an internationally significant, impressive brick building and compound designed by convict architect Francis Greenway between 1818–19; originally built at the head of Macquarie Street to house convict men and boys....
, the Queen Victoria Building
Queen Victoria Building
The Queen Victoria Building, or QVB, is a late nineteenth century building by the architect George McRae in the central business district of Sydney, Australia. The Romanesque Revival building is 30 metres wide by 190 metres long, and fills a city block, bounded by George, Market, York and Druitt...
and Parliament House
Parliament House, Sydney
Parliament House in Sydney is a complex of buildings housing the Parliament of New South Wales, a state of Australia. It is located on the east side of Macquarie Street in Sydney, the state capital. The facade consists of a two storey Georgian building, the oldest public building in the City of...
. It is now the head office of the Historic Houses Trust of New South Wales and sections of the building are open to the public.
History
General Hospital and The Dispensary (1811–1854)
In 1811, Governor Lachlan Macquarie commenced planning for a new general hospitalHospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
in Sydney which was to be his first major public building. The contractors were paid with 45,000 gallons of rum hence the name Rum Hospital. Construction was completed in 1816.
Its design is loosely based on ancient AAG Greek
Architecture of Ancient Greece
The architecture of Ancient Greece is the architecture produced by the Greek-speaking people whose culture flourished on the Greek mainland and Peloponnesus, the Aegean Islands, and in colonies in Asia Minor and Italy for a period from about 900 BC until the 1st century AD, with the earliest...
architecture with its two tiers of columns made of cedar timber in the style of Doric
Doric order
The Doric order was one of the three orders or organizational systems of ancient Greek or classical architecture; the other two canonical orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian.-History:...
mouldings. The columns are angled inwards creating an optical illusion imitating the Parthenon
Parthenon
The Parthenon is a temple on the Athenian Acropolis, Greece, dedicated to the Greek goddess Athena, whom the people of Athens considered their virgin patron. Its construction began in 447 BC when the Athenian Empire was at the height of its power. It was completed in 438 BC, although...
in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
.
A dispensary opened in 1842 replacing the south wing after which the rest of the site was used as a military hospital until 1854.
Royal Mint and the Coining Factory (1855–1926)
The British Secretary of state gave acceptance to the colonial government to establish a mint in Sydney which was to be the first branch of the Royal MintRoyal Mint
The Royal Mint is the body permitted to manufacture, or mint, coins in the United Kingdom. The Mint originated over 1,100 years ago, but since 2009 it operates as Royal Mint Ltd, a company which has an exclusive contract with HM Treasury to supply all coinage for the UK...
outside England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The rear side of the mint became the coining factory. There were frequently major upgrades on the mint during the late 1800s and the early 1900s. However, by 1926, with the Melbourne
Melbourne Mint
The Melbourne Mint, in Melbourne, Australia, was a branch of the British Royal Mint. Until 1916 it minted only gold sovereigns, and all Australian coins between 1927 and 1967...
and Perth Mint
Perth Mint
The Perth Mint is Australia's oldest currently operating mint ....
s having much better technology and being more profitable, the mint was closed.
Government offices, Law Courts and the Museum (1927–present)
The Government Insurance Office moved into the building as soon as the Mint closed. Soon other government offices followed, including the Local Government Superannuation Board, the Electrical Contractors and Licensing Board and the Family Endowment Department. Government offices kept arriving and going for another fifty years. Gradually these buildings were being demolished.It was expected that law courts will be established after the demolitions, however activists successfully led a campaign in 1979 to preserve the Mint buildings as well as Hyde Park Barracks. The premier of New South Wales, Neville Wran
Neville Wran
Neville Kenneth Wran, AC, CNZM, QC was the Premier of New South Wales from 1976 until 1986. He was National President of the Australian Labor Party from 1980 to 1986 and Chairman of both the Lionel Murphy Foundation and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation from 1986...
, announced that the Mint would come under control of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences. The museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
closed down in 1997 and the building’s ownership was transferred to the Historic Houses Trust.
The Mint was recently named as one of 30 projects that have reshaped the built environment since 1978. "The refurbishment project is an example of the Integration of services systems (by Steensen Varming
Steensen Varming
Steensen Varming is a Danish engineering firm. It was founded by Niels Steensen & Jørgen Varming in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1933. The firm specialised in civil, structural and building services engineering...
), to provide a modern, functional headquarters while minimising the impact on the heritage and archaeological fabric of a site.