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Christ Church Cathedral

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stomps
stomps
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4 out of 5
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3
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Editor Pick

Christchurch Cathedral

  • May 3, 2009
  • Rated 4 of 5 by rufusni from Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
Christchurch Cathedral

When you see Christchurch Cathedral it does not seem too surprising to discover that Christchurch was founded by English settlers. Work began in 1864, with a design by George Gilbert Scott, who was a noted English architect who is responsible for many church buildings in England but also Pancreas Station in London. He is known for his Gothic Revival style, which shaped the design of Christchurch cathedral. It is set in the centre of Cathedral Square, which was designed to be at the heart of the city, and so is one of the oldest buildings in New Zealand.

Being from Ireland, I am quite used to cathedrals that have ancient roots, but I was impressed with the cathedral in Christchurch, even if not greatly old. One thing I did like was that the gift shop was in a separate building connected on to the cathedral and not stuck in the back corner - it somehow just made it feel more a place of prayer and worship. Also there was an opportunity to leave prayers, thanksgiving and requests for pray that would be prayed over. Thirdly, there is no specific charge to go in, you can make a donation to help maintain the building, which again added to the sense that this is actually a church building and not another historical building to see.

The space is quite inviting - beautiful stained glass, wood and carvings. It feels very much like a British Cathedral, nearly lifted up and plonked down in New Zealand, a few bits and pieces give it away, such as the Tukutuku Panels which are traditional Maori woven pieces. I also attended a service here, which included some maori prayers and responses.

It is possible to climb the spire - there is a cost for this however about though not hugely expensive, and tickets can be bought in the cathedral shop. It is not the worst tower of a cathedral I have climbed, but still quite a climb, with the tower being 36m high and narrow stairs up. There is a good view over the city in all directions, and particularly Cathedral Square, watching people scurring about, the trams gliding by, and simply a different perspective on the city.

I just missed the free tour that is offered daily, (check the cathedral website for the times) but there are detailed leaflets in several languages that let you know what you are looking at. There is generally a volunteer worker there who will try and answer any questions you may have - I met a lovely older man who is a member of the congregation here who told me a bit more about the history of the place.

The cathedral is definitely worth a visit, even just to pop in for five minutes, which its central location lends itself to. It is a nice peaceful place to sit down for a few minutes and admire the splendour of the place, and the sense of awe it can bring.

From journal All Calm in Christchurch

Editor Pick

Stunning Christchurch Cathedral

  • November 14, 2008
  • Rated 5 of 5 by Red Mezz from Inverness, Scotland
Stunning Christchurch Cathedral

Coming from the UK, and Scotland specifically, I hadn’t expected to arrive in a New World country in the south pacific and discover one of my famous grand cathedrals in the world – but that is precisely what I found in Christchurch.

The cathedral sits gallantly amidst Cathedral Square in the dead centre of town, and is an obvious reason why so many Englishmen arrive in this city and feel instantly that they are back at home. From first glance the outside could be any cathedral in England, even if it is a beautiful one.

It is perfectly located in the square so that you can sit out side and enjoy the vibe and buzz of town – including what seems like a constant attraction, a local who sits outside playing beautiful music on a varying array of pipes (including, oddly enough, a pipe fashioned of stag horn.)
On the weekends the square buzzes with stalls and people, but even on a week day people meander about at a pleasant pace, with a few stalls here and there selling wonderful smelling light meals and snacks and the tram trundling by every few minutes.

From the entrance of the cathedral you can just about make out the famous large chess set on the square to the right, where there seems to always be a couple of people having a game, and a small crowd watching. There are often even some live performers that stand in the centre of the square on the weekends or evenings.

The cathedral itself, while being beautiful outside, is magnificent inside. There is a kind of calm humility to it that many big cathedrals lack and that I found reassuring. Open for free to the public you can walk in and enjoy the sites of it and take photographs if you like, though if you come on a Sunday morning be prepared to attend the services, and not just wander around as it is a working church.

The light that comes in against the huge wooden rafters makes for amazing photographs, and a general calming and awe inspiring wander. I highly recommend that you pop your head in for a look around – even if you aren’t attending an actual service. (though they have a beautiful choir if you feel inclined to do so.)

You can also go into and up the tower if you would like, for a great little view of the city, but that does cost (I believe it was $7) but worth while if your budget allows. There is an amazing and very photogenic statue just outside, and a café adjoining which does really lovely breakfast menus.

I was about to go into the history and story of the cathedral – but as that is a great part of the experience of wandering around it and reading about how it came to be – I will leave that for you to discover on your own.

From journal So There's More to Christchurch than Just Great Restaurants...

Editor Pick

Christchurch Cathedral

  • July 26, 2006
  • Rated 3 of 5 by stomps from Houston, Texas
Christchurch Cathedral

The cathedral is at the centre of Christchurch, just like in an old British town. This isn’t surprising, since work on the cathedral began only 14 years after the Pakeha (the Maori term for the white settlers) arrived and set up camp in Christchurch. This was 1864—-however, the cathedral didn’t open until 1881. This still makes it one of the older buildings I’ve seen in the southern hemisphere, quite a change from visiting the British Isles!

We didn’t plan to spend a huge amount of time in the cathedral, since we were much more intrigued by the idea of the “best botanic gardens in New Zealand” and the various markets going on around town. Plus, I’ve seen my fair share of cathedrals and minsters in England, so I was out to experience something new and different.

After wandering through the markets outside the cathedral, we decided to at least take a peek inside. As we walked towards the building, which towers over central Christchurch in all its Gothic beauty, we noticed something going on in front of it. We got closer and realized it was a very closely contested chess game between two very odd-looking characters. One was an older man, wearing a tweed jacket and an odd hat, while the other was dressed in brilliant colors and a back-turned hat. Both of them were biting their lips, debating their next move. The largest crowd I had ever seen for a chess game had gathered around them, seemingly riveted by the men’s every twitch.

When we finally tore ourselves away from the excitement, we headed to the cathedral building itself. There were services going on inside, and there was an admission fee (although I can’t remember if it was a “voluntary donation” or not), so we basically peeked inside, admired some of the sculpture around the entrance and the large roofs inside, and then headed to the gift shop (hey, I’d been there, so I had to get a leather bookmark to commemorate it and add to my 400 or so I have already!).

I would recommend at least a quick visit to see the cathedral, since it is what the town is based around and quite possibly where the town’s name originated (the church itself was named “Christ Church” after the college at Oxford University). Plus, if you do go in, you can go on a short climb, at the top of which you can see all of central Christchurch.

From journal Christchurch - Crepes, Gardens, and Kiwis, Oh My!

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