FIJIANFijian HistoryHISTORY
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • ‹
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • ›
“Q.V. Memorial Hall, Suva, Fiji”, Unknown, c1904, shortly after completion. Source: Max Quanchi and Max Shekleton, An Ideal Colony and Epitome of Progress: Colonial Fiji in Picture Postcards, forthcoming.
Suva Town Hall

The Town Hall was originally named the Queen Victoria Memorial Hall when it was opened in 1905. Over a century it has hosted many tenants, including the Fiji Museum, an aquarium, a theatre and restaurants.

“Saint Francis Xavier Church”, 2016, Source: Google maps
St Francis Xavier Church, Ra

The Church of St Francis Xavier is a popular tourist attraction for its mural of a black Christ which blends Christian motifs with elements of Fijian tradition and culture.

“Band rotunda, Thurston Gardens, 1920s”, Wishart Ryan, Source: Fiji Museum P32.4/23
Thurston Gardens

Thurston Gardens was originally named Suva Botanical Gardens. It was built in 1913 on the site of the original village of Suva and it's name was later changed in honour of Sir John Bates Thurston, the fifth Governor of Fiji.

"Entrance sign Tavuni Hill Fort" Source: Nicholas Halter 2018
Tavuni Hill Fort, Sigatoka

The Tavuni Hill Fortification overlooks the Sigatoka River from a 90m high limestone ridge. It was constructed by a clan of Tongans who arrived in the early 1800s.

“Artist’s rendering the Grand Pacific created for the Union Steamship Company” Source: http://grandpacifichotel.com.fj/about-us/
Grand Pacific Hotel

The Grand Pacific Hotel is one of the oldest hotels in the Pacific. It was built in 1914 to offer a more luxurious style of accommodation for cruise ship tourists. It was recently renovated and extended but it retains many of its original colonial architectural designs.  

“Boys Grammar School postcard”, Co-operative (W.J.B. Stinsone), c.1930s? Source: http://www.justpacific.com/fiji/fijiphotos/grammar/bgs3.jpg
Suva Grammar School

The original Suva Grammar School was built in 1917 on Victoria Parade specifically for European boys. Girls were educated at another building on Selbourne Street a year later. Suva Grammar School is a co-ed school currently located at Nasese.

"Carnegie Library, Suva, Fiji", Unknown c.1930-1954, Source: Fiji Museum P/23.1/8
Suva City Carnegie Library

The Suva City Carnegie Library was opened in 1909 and bears the name of the Scottish-born American philanthropist who funded it. It is now run by the Suva City Council and serves the Central and Eastern Divisons of Fiji.

“Roman Catholic Cathedral, Pratt Street”, no date. Source: Fiji Museum, P32.4/41.
Sacred Heart Cathedral

The Sacred Heart Cathedral is the headquarters of the Catholic Archdiocese of Suva. The construction of the Cathedral began in 1894 and was not completed until 1994, 150 years after the first Marist missionaries arrived in Fiji. The grand European design includes sandstone blocks imported from Australia, concrete staircases and balustrades, and two towers. The central stained glass window above the altar contains an image of a bilo cup beneath the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

“Centenary Methodist Church”. Source: Nicholas Halter 2020
Centenary Methodist Church

The Methodist Church of Fiji is the largest Christian denomination in Fiji. The Centenary Methodist Church was announced in 1935 during the Centenary celebrations of the first Wesleyan missionaries who arrived in Fiji. The building was opened in 1954, and ten years later the Methodist Church of Fiji became independent from Australia.

  • ‹
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • ›
Attribution-NonCommercial

Website content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. All material used on this site retains the original Creative Commons Licences and can only be re-used under their respective licences. Note that corporate logos (such as the Fijian History logo) and images used in some collections and branding are specifically excluded from the Creative Commons Attribution Licence, and may not be reproduced under any circumstances without the express written permission of the copyright holders.

Fijian History © 2018 - The University of the South Pacific
About

This project was a collaborative effort by staff and students of The University of the South Pacific to document some of the historic sites of Fiji.

Download App

Download the app from Google Play Store and browse fijian stories even when offline

Get the app on Google Play
Contact
  • Email us