Which came first? The San Francisco Ferry Building or Auckland Ferry Terminal?

You travel enough and you will find that places, buildings, and people start to look alike.  Sometimes, this is a matter of chance, and sometimes, it is a matter of admiration and economics.  The San Francisco Ferry Building in San Francisco, California was completed in 1898.  The building is designed in the Beaux Arts style and serves as a terminal for ferries that travel across the San Francisco Bay.  The street level floor has shops and food vendors, while the upstairs has office space.

San Francisco Ferry Building
San Francisco Ferry Building

San Francisco Ferry BuildingSan Francisco Ferry BuildingSan Francisco Ferry Building

The San Francisco Ferry Building is very iconic so imagine my surprise when I came across its cousin in the southern hemisphere.  The Auckland Ferry Terminal in Auckland, New Zealand is strikingly similar.  Even with the Edwardian Baroque facade, one can’t help but notice the uncanny resemblance.  This building was completed in 1912 and just like the one in San Francisco, it has shops and food vendors on the street level of the building.

Auckland Ferry Terminal building
Auckland Ferry Terminal building