Interesting and Random Historical Facts About Sydney悉尼趣史杂谈

【导读】这是一些关于悉尼的零散而有趣的事实，可从中了解这座城市令人着迷的历史和不为人知的一面。

Sydney is renowned for her coastal beauty， but there’s far more to this scenic city than that which makes it famous. The beautiful harbour， world-famous icons and sunny disposition are only a tiny part of the sum of Sydney’s appeal.

悉尼因其美丽的海岸线而出名，不过这座风景名城所拥有的远不止美景。迷人的港口、世界驰名的地标和阳光气质，不过是其全部魅力的一小部分。

Uncover the fascinating， quirky and unexpected side of Sydney’s character， and learn more about her history with this guide to my favourite facts about Sydney I found during my research and my visit.

我在研访期间发现了关于悉尼的一些很有意思的事实，就请跟我一起来揭开悉尼特色中那迷人、离奇和不为人知的一面，对它的历史多一点了解吧。

Ancient and indigenous origins of Sydney

悉尼的古老源起和土著历史

Australia is regarded as a relatively young country on the world stage， having reached nationhood status in 1901. As far as European settlement goes， Sydney’s dates back the longest of any Australian city （closely followed by Hobart）， as the First Fleet1 unceremoniously settled it in 1788.

澳大利亚在世界舞台上被认为是一个相对年轻的国家，1901年才建国。如果考虑欧洲人的定居史——1788年英国的第一舰队作为不速之客来到这里——那么悉尼是澳大利亚历史最悠久的城市（霍巴特紧随其后）。

However， it is essential to acknowledge the ancient origins and rights of the land. Australia is said to be the world’s oldest landmass， fittingly inhabited by the oldest surviving culture in the world， the Indigenous Aboriginal people. Radiocarbon dating suggests that Indigenous Australians have inhabited the Sydney region for at least 30，000 years.

不过，必须得认可这片土地的古老源头和土著居民的土地权。据说澳大利亚是世界最古老的陆块，这里也正好居住着世界现存最古老文化的传承者——土著居民。放射性碳年代测定法表明，土著澳大利亚人在悉尼这片地域已至少居住了三万年。

What’s in a name—why is Sydney called Sydney？

悉尼之名的来历

It’s hard to imagine now， but the city was originally going to be called Albion2 until Sydney， after British Lord Sydney， was a more appropriate option.

如今很难想象，最初这座城市准备起名阿尔比恩，直到出现更恰当的选择——悉尼，这是随英国悉尼勋爵的名字而命名的。

However， the moniker ‘Albion’ was not forgotten. Sydney’s Albion Street， spanning from Elizabeth Street to Flinders， showcases an impressive number of historic buildings along its humble one-kilometre length. Wikipedia has a great list to plan architectural exploration in Sydney.

然而，“阿尔比恩”这个别称并没被忘却。悉尼有一条阿尔比恩街，从伊丽莎白街一直延伸到弗林德斯街，在仅仅一公里长的街道上却有着不少历史建筑，令人印象深刻。若想在悉尼探访各种建筑，维基百科提供了一份长长的清单。

Sydney Harbour Bridge’s nickname

悉尼港湾大桥的昵称

‘The Coat Hanger’ is the affectionate nickname for the landmark famous Sydney Harbour Bridge. Standing 134 metres above the world’s deepest natural harbour， it is the largest—but not longest—steel arch bridge you can climb. Surprisingly， the top of the arch changes its height by about 180 millimetres due to temperature changes！

“衣架”是人们对著名的地标建筑悉尼港湾大桥的爱称。它耸立于世界最深的天然港，高134米，是世界最大——而非最长——的可攀爬钢拱桥。让人惊讶的是，随温度变化，桥拱高度之差可达180毫米！

It officially opened in March 1932 amid much fanfare. Sadly， up to 800 families were forced to relocate to make way for the Bridge without any compensation， and sixteen workers died during its construction.

1932年3月大桥正式通车时，大张旗鼓，煞是热闹。遗憾的是，为了给修桥腾地，多至800户人家被迫迁往别地而没有得到任何补偿。建桥期间，有16名工人丧生。

Sydney Opera House’s design

悉尼歌剧院的设计

In 1973， the eponymous Harbour Bridge finally met its match with the opening of the Sydney Opera House， its design famously reminiscent of ship sails on the harbour.

1973年，悉尼歌剧院建成使用，以悉尼命名的港湾大桥终于有了与之媲美的建筑，其设计因让人想起海港的船帆而闻名。

While the budget blowout is well-known—it exceeded its projected budget by over fourteen times and was completed ten years behind schedule—what perhaps many people don’t realise is its sheer scale. At 185 metres long， 120 metres wide， it has roof sections weighing up to 15 tons and over a million tiles on its dazzling roof.

建设大大超出预算已是尽人皆知——超出预算14倍多，超期10年方得竣工——但很多人或许没有意识到的是建筑的规模之大。它长185米，宽120米，屋顶重达15吨，闪闪发亮的屋顶上覆盖的瓦片超过100万块。

Size matters

规模决定地位

Sydney is Australia’s largest city， with 4.6 million people.  It is also the largest economy in Australia， accounting for over a quarter of Australia’s total economic activity. Indeed， the suburb-cum-satellite city of Parramatta is the country’s sixth-largest Central Business District （CBD）， more prominent than some state capitals.

悉尼是澳大利亚最大的城市，人口460万。它也是澳大利亚最大的经济单元，占澳大利亚整个经济活动的四分之一以上。城郊卫星城帕拉马塔是该国第六大中央商务区，比有些州府更显要。

Sydney is a multicultural hub

悉尼是一个多文化的枢纽城市

Sydney is also one of the most multicultural cities in the world， with nearly a third of its population born overseas compared to around one-fifth of Australia overall. Over half of Sydney’s population are first- or second-generation immigrants， from all corners of the globe.

悉尼也是全世界文化最为多元的城市之一，其人口近三分之一出生在海外，相比之下，整个澳大利亚有五分之一的人口在海外出生。悉尼一半以上的人口是来自世界各地的第一代或第二代移民。

The city’s western suburbs are particularly diverse. In Parramatta， for example， half the population speak a language other than English at home.

这座城市的西部郊区尤其多元。比如，在帕拉马塔，一半人口在家里不说英语，而是说别的语言。

Western Sydney deserves attention

悉尼西部值得关注

Sydney’s west is mostly ignored while the city centre and beautiful beaches to the north， east and south garner the most attention from tourists. The oft-neglected western suburbs are booming.