The historic London Court is one of the most famous sights and tourist destinations in the central business district of Perth's city. It is one of Perth’s more quirky shopping arcades that has stood the test of time. The shopping arcade was erected during the Depression period and designed in a distinctive Tudor style that gives a characteristic Old English feel. The whole alley has a lot to offer and as you enter you find yourself transported back to 16th century’s Tudor times and it is hard to belief you are in Perth, Western Australia and not in London. With cobble stone streets and Elizabethan style architecture, it is a popular tourist area, a lovely shopping arcade, full of old world charm, and lots of unique little specialty shops. Built as a combination of residential and commercial premises incorporating Tudor design elements and a replica of Big Ben at the entrance, London Court attracts international visitors with its unique architecture nestled under the contrasting sky scrapers. Wrought iron gates are positioned at the entrances to London Court. The famous clocks are found on each entrance of the shopping arcade. The clocks on both entrances chime every 15, 30, and 60 minutes. Whenever the clock chimes, a mechanical display of four knights coming out from a castle door and appearing to joust with each other is shown. The dial of this clock shows an exact copy of Big Ben’s face originally displayed in London. The clocks at either end of London Court were installed in 1937, when London Court was built as a combination of residential and commercial premises for wealthy gold miner and financier Claude de Bernales and were described at the time as “two of the most outstanding clocks in the world”. The shopping arcade’s walls were decorated with shields, gargoyles, crests, and even hand carvings. The floors were covered with Terracotta tiles. The middle part of London Court has two storeys, but its two ends have three storeys. The shopping arcade’s spine is unroofed, making it look like a narrow strip of road There are several weather vanes, copper coloured ships, decorative moulded ceilings and decorative lions and unicorns adorn the rubbish bins. There are arched iron openings leading to the landings of second and third floors giving the feeling of narrow street facades. Under the open roofed court lead lighting on the windows with ornamental window boxes provide the perfect chance to catch a glimpse of the vivid blue sky Perth is famous for. London Court is a very special place for anyone visiting Perth to step back in ye olde England, wander along the pathways and peer into the small windows. In London Court, you can be enchanted by the musical drama of the big clock as it chimes on the hour in a village like atmosphere of life in an era past.
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