Parliament House, Brisbane

The seat of Queensland's parliament stands at the corner of George and Alice streets, beside the City Botanic Gardens. Completed in 1868 in a French Renaissance Revival style adapted for the subtropical climate, its stone facade features shaded arcades and a distinctive tiered roof designed to cope with the heat. Queensland uniquely has a single-chamber parliament, its former upper-house room now used for functions. Public tours lead through the richly decorated chambers, and the building connects to a modern annexe.