Block Arcade, Heritage shopping arcade in central business district, Melbourne, Australia.
Block Arcade is a shopping passage with an L-shaped layout connecting Collins Street and Elizabeth Street, featuring a glass roof overhead and ornate cast iron details throughout. The interior displays mosaic tile floors and houses numerous shops, boutiques, and tea rooms along its covered walkway.
Built between 1891 and 1893, the structure rose after fire destroyed a previous department store on the site, making way for a new commercial hub. It rapidly became one of Melbourne's most important shopping destinations during the Victorian era.
The name comes from a local custom where people would stroll through the area to show off their outfits and see others do the same.
The arcade has multiple entry points from Collins Street, Elizabeth Street, and Block Place, making it easy to explore from different directions. The covered layout protects visitors from weather while they shop or take a break in the tea rooms.
The floor features the largest collection of 19th-century mosaic tiles ever installed in Australia, all imported directly from Europe. Most visitors walk over these intricate designs without realizing their significance to the arcade's original decoration.
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