Australia's capital Canberra is still a young city. In 1911 the government of the Australian confederation of states acquired possession of the area. A competition of city planning was tendered then, won by the American architect Walter Burley Griffin. Although you can still notice that Canberra is not a grown city, its wide green elegance is leaving a pleasant impression.
Canberra does not belong to New South Wales but to ACT (Australian Capital Territory), which like the Northern Territories is not a federal state but just a territory. Both have no proper state government.
The 1988 established Parliament House with its modern architecture is worth seeing. There you can admire one of the world's biggest tapestry in the Great Hall. The 1927 built provisional seat of government Old Parliament House represents an architectural contrast. After all, this provisional building was the seat of parliament for 61 years and accommodates the National Portrait Gallery today.
You may have the perhaps most beautiful view all over the city from Telstra Tower at a height of 195 m. The tower was built in 1980 by the Australian telecommunication company Telstra on the Black Mountain. There is a telecommunication museum and a rotating restaurant inside.
