Coop's Shot Tower, Shot tower in Melbourne Central, Australia
Coop's Shot Tower is a brick industrial structure at the heart of Melbourne's shopping district, enclosed within a protective glass cone. The tower itself stands 50 meters tall, while the outer glass dome extends to 84 meters, creating a striking architectural contrast between old and new.
The tower was built in 1888 and operated using a gravity-fed process to manufacture lead shot for ammunition until 1961. This production method was typical of late-nineteenth-century industrial manufacturing in Australia.
The tower represents how Melbourne once combined industry with city life in unexpected ways. Visitors walking through the shopping complex encounter this remnant of working-class production methods alongside contemporary retail spaces.
The site sits directly within the shopping complex at a major transport hub with tram and bus access nearby. Visitors can easily reach the tower while exploring the surrounding retail area without needing separate travel arrangements.
The tower's walls are remarkably thick and rest on exceptionally deep foundations that secured its longevity over more than a century. This robust construction allowed the structure to survive Melbourne's rapid growth and its later integration into the modern shopping complex.
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