Cranmer Square, Christchurch, New Zealand
Exploring New Zealand #6: Christchurch Cathedral Square and Canterbury Museum
When I was preparing this trip to New Zealand, some people told me Christchurch wasn't that good. How wrong they were. Christchurch is a beautifully planned city plenty of interesting things to keep you busy for a couple of days. We took many photos at the Cathedral Square, climbed the Christchurch Cathedral tower, visited the fascinating Canterbury Museum and spent an afternoon at the Orana Wildlife Park.
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Cathedral Square, locally known simply as the 'Square', is the geographical centre and heart of Christchurch, New Zealand, where the city's Anglican cathedral, ChristChurch is located. The square was originally intended to be called Ridley Square, after the Protestant martyr Nicholas Ridley, but in Edward Jollie's 1850 plan of central Christchurch it is clearly marked Cathedral Square. Ridley's co-martyrs and colleague bishops, Cranmer and Latimer have Squares named after them, not far distant from Cathedral Square.
- Update 5 September 2010: Earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand
Christchurch's landmark heritage buildings have made it through yesterday's damaging 7.1 magnitude earthquake, and hefty aftershocks, relatively unscathed. Five hundred buildings have been affected across Christchurch, including 90 in the central city where there are many heritage and character buildings. Christchurch landmarks to have fared well the earthquake include the Provincial Chambers, the Christchurch Cathedral, the Arts Centre, Christ's College and the Public Trust building and other buildings on Oxford Terrace. One building extensively damaged is the Repertory Theatre in Kilmore St, just months ahead of a major restoration project, a city council spokeswoman said. Staff from Christchurch City Council and the Historic Places Trust have begun inspecting central city buildings alongside the council's building evaluation team, and will also assess buildings elsewhere in Christchurch and Banks Peninsula. A very small number of buildings have suffered extensive damage due to the earthquake, and further assessment will determine whether they can be restored. Many others have suffered minor to moderate damage, and will be fixed in coming weeks. Buildings already strengthened by property owners had generally fared well. We encourage building owners to seek appropriate advice from structural engineers and architects and take steps in the interim to reduce damage and cost by keeping them weather-tight, Urban Design and Heritage team leader Ceciel DelaRue said.
Heritage Christchurch Re-opens
More about Heritage Christchurch:
Heritage Chrischurch Old Government Building opened it's doors on 1 August 2013.
Two years of extensive refurbishment following the Canterbury Earthquake has seen Heritage Christchurch open its doors.
The passion and dedication during the restoration of Heritage Christchurch, has seen the Old Government Building remain a vital part of Christchurch's priceless heritage.
Credit: One News, TVNZ
26 Cranmer Square, Inner City Christchurch - Adam Heazlewood
102nd Anzac parade Christchurch 25-03-17
At Cramner square NZCH
SOLD - 18 Cranmer Square, Christchurch
An architectural gem in the tradition of Frank Lloyd Wright.
Yes! This is the house that everyone drives by and says Id love to own that. Built in the mid 1920s by a local businessman after a visit to California where he discovered the new ground-breaking Frank Lloyd Wright designs, this most appealing 4 bedrm, 4 living rm home has been lovingly restored with attention to detail, modern comfort and technologies (central heating, imported double glazing).
Enjoying natural light from all directions, and using Cranmer Square as its own beautiful garden background, this house has a feel like none other; wonderful proportions and really thoughtful design lifts this special house far above any other youve experienced.
As youd expect, true landmark properties like this are tightly held and rarely available, so your immediate enquiry is recommended.
Christ Church Cathedral Square ChristChurch NZ
NewUrban Group presents: Cranmer Gardens
New luxury apartments Cranmer Gardens visit website at if you wish to know more about this stunning Christchurch City development.
Christchurch Earthquake Westminster-Cranford Shops
Cranford and Westminster St shops coming down.
Christchurch bus cutting the corner Cranmer Square
Cyclist squeezed by Christchurch bus on Cranmer square cutting the corner on Friday 1st August 2014 10:12am
#sharetheroad
Diggers in Christchurch Cathedral Square
Christchurch square moments after quake
Taken from the fire escape on the 10th floor
An Accessible City Roads Bikes and Buses
CERA Chief Transport Planner Angus Bargh talk us through the changes to intersections and roads, additional cycle-lanes and why the Bus Interchange is so important for transport changes in Christchurch.
The Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) is the agency established by the Government of New Zealand to lead and coordinate the ongoing recovery effort following the devastating earthquakes of September 2010 and February 2011.
CERA is supporting a range of organisations in making well co-ordinated and timely decisions. It aims to help restore the social, economic, cultural and environmental well-being of greater Christchurch communities.
CERA:
Christchurch Earthquake 2010 - Shocking Pictures
Christchurch Earthquake 2010
Sound: Shakira - La Pared
244A & 244B Salisbury Street, Christchurch - Adam Heazlewood
Find more information here:
Anzac Day Christchurch 2012 dawn parade
Snapshots from the Christchurch Anzac Day dawn parade 2012. Held this year in Cranmer Square because the Cenotaph in Cathedral Square is still out of bounds. Grainy quality at the beginning because it was still dark.
ANZAC crosses at Cranmer Square
Christchurch, New Zealand; 13th April 2018
Memories of Christchurch's red zone homes
Tom McBrearty visits the site of his former home and recalls the first anniversary of the quakes.
Canterbury NZ Earthquake 2010
Give Kiwi's the opportunity to come together & support our own country & city of Christchurch. Support this page to support the powers that be to set up a Telethon.
This song (and more) are avaliable at ...
itunes
emusic
or direct through kelvincummings.com
The song: Fall At Your Feet by Kelvin Cummings
Pictures: New Zealand public c/o TVNZ
Heritage Destruction in Christchurch - Cranmer Courts day 14
Wednesday 16 Oct 2012, day 14 of demolition - Cranmer Court building
MORE INFO BELOW
Continued from Day 13b:
Just went for a drive to check out the other demolition sites in the city (railway station, PWC tower, Farmers carpark, Cathedral), and called in here for a few minutes on the way back, then the Arts Centre rebuild.
What a mess with the south wing and octagon (tower) mostly gone. At least it proves that this has the original bones of a genuine historic building, not just a facade. Not in good shape (partially collapsed 4 Sept 2010), but this area could have been closed off until repaired and was low enough to not be a risk to passers by (part of the make-safe).
What struck me was how the building has lost its whole frontage from Cranmer Square (there's probably a proper word like aspect). Being an engineer, aesthetics don't always mean much to me, but sighting the site today I finally get it. As a neighbour to the building said, it has lost its dominance. It was a big building, fronting half a city block, and gave historicalistic (probably not a proper word) presence to Cranmer Square. Feels like the soul has been ripped out of the place. Take a castle off the grounds and you're left with a paddock sort of thing. The half of the building that remains, once the tower end is demolished (tomorrow) (turns out it was - I'm posting this a few days late), will remain big and impressive from Manchester St, but has certainly lost its dominance over Cranmer Square.
Thus disconnecting the square from the Arts Precinct. This leaves the gate wide open for it to become Cranmer Lane - after chopping down some trees at either end, paving the middle in a 4 lane highway, greening the roads on the sides, and knocking down a row of buildings on either side to give something back to the people. This adds the final side to the green frame around the CBD (conspicuously missing from the plan). There's plenty of room for a 4 lane road with Cranmer Courts and the Peterborough Centre gone, a 3D flyover reveals 4 lanes all the way from Moorhouse to Bealey Ave if you get rid of all the carparks except one (a big one: the CBD). Other options include Cranmer Underpass (2 lanes under 2 lanes round), Cranmer roundabout, and a funny option with a diagonal street cutting through Cranmer Square then ploughing through the Peterborough Centre.
Yes, I'm just stirring. To debunk my own conspiracy theory: You can get 4 lanes past Cranmer Courts and the Peterborough Centre as they stand, with reduced traffic volumes in the CBD it only needs 2 lanes for the medium term (which suits work on the buildings). The west side of the green frame looks distorted because it follows the river for obvious reasons. Cutting up Cranmer Square would mess up the symmetry with Latimer Square, which is untouched. What they're actually planning to do with the roading changes should be plainly obvious, suggested to me a couple of days earlier (just open Google Maps and have a look). I did wonder if it was clever to suggest Cranmer Lane (has a ring to it, doesn't it?), but I assume it has already been given serious thought and rejected (over and over again). Everyone I've mentioned it to has said they'll never do that. I'm just not so sure myself - I would (I'd do the underpass, with phone-box sized skylights to mirror the buildings at either end of Cranmer Square, underground parking, and shops - electric car lanes only). Do you know who is in control? If you can't answer that, you can't be certain of anything.
More actual details:
That set up in Cranmer Square is the Whitebait Festival.
Sorry about the creepy discontinuous edits, it really is bad luck especially if you're ornithophobic. Looks like the birds are just as disturbed as you now their home is halved. Not cultured enough to have ever seen the film.