Old Government Buildings, Wellington

One of the largest wooden buildings in the Southern Hemisphere, this imposing structure near the harbour was completed in 1876 to consolidate the colony's civil service under one roof. Though built entirely of native timber, its exterior was crafted to imitate stone masonry in the Italianate style. It served government departments for over a century before restoration, and today it houses the law faculty of Victoria University of Wellington. Interpretive displays recount its history, and the grounds are freely accessible.