Royal Arcade

The Royal Arcade is Melbourne's oldest surviving shopping arcade, built in 1869 and running between Bourke Street Mall and Little Collins Street. The two-storey arcade is crowned by a barrel-vaulted glass ceiling and decorated with statues of Gog and Magog — the mythical giants of the City of London — flanking Gaunt's Clock at the Bourke Street entrance. On the hour, the giants strike the bell.

The arcade's shops lean toward jewellery, chocolates, and specialty gifts. At the northern end on Bourke Street, the Melbourne street scene on the footpath outside is always busy. The arcade pairs well with the Block Arcade directly to the south, connected by the covered Howey Place.

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A story
The figures of Gog and Magog flanking Gaunt's Clock at the Bourke Street entrance are cast from the original moulds used for the statues in the London Guildhall — Melbourne commissioned direct copies. The clock was installed in 1892 and has struck the hour continuously since then, with Gog and Magog raising their mallets to strike the bell. The original clock mechanism is still operating; it requires winding by hand every eight days.

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