Christchurch - Culture

Culture

Christchurch is a distinctly English city, however it contains various European elements, with strong Gothic Revival architecture. As early settlers of New Zealand, Māori culture is also prevalent in the city. It features many public open spaces and parks, river beds and cafes and restaurants situated in the city centre and surrounding suburbs.

  • Garden and parks
    • Botanic Gardens
    • Hagley Park
    • Mona Vale
    • Riccarton House and Bush
  • Canterbury Museum
  • Ferrymead Heritage Park
  • Orana Wildlife Park
  • Willowbank Wildlife Reserve
  • Royal New Zealand Air Force Museum
  • Southern Encounter Aquarium and Kiwi House closed
  • International Antarctic Centre
  • Christ Church (the Anglican cathedral), the centre of the Church of England settlement was built between 1864 and 1910. closed and damaged
  • The Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, consecrated in 1905, is widely considered to be the finest renaissance-style building in Australasia. closed and damaged
  • Christchurch Art Gallery (A new gallery opened 2003 to replace the 1930 Robert McDougall Art Gallery situated in the Botanic Gardens).
  • The Christchurch Arts Centre, formerly Canterbury College and the site of "Ernest Rutherford's Den". closed and damaged
  • Canterbury Provincial Council Buildings, 1858–1876. closed and damaged
  • The Lyttelton Timeball Station. Gone
  • The New Brighton pier.
  • Heathcote (Christchurch) Gondola
  • Punting on the river Avon
  • The Summit Road along the top of the Port Hills and Godley Head Road provides numerous spectacular views of the area and features the buildings created as wayside rests, the Sign of the Takahe (now a function centre) and Sign of the Kiwi. The Mt Pleasant Trig offers 360° views from Lyttelton Harbour back over the hills to the southern alps and the city, and out over Pegasus Bay.
  • Walkways including Victoria Park, the Bridle Path and Whitewash Head, a bird sanctuary.
  • Mountain biking on the Port Hills and Bottle Lake Forest. Christchurch Mountainbiking
  • There is a large nesting colony of Spotted Shags immediately south of Christchurch.

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