ChristChurch Cathedral

크라이스트처치 대성당

Christ Church Cathedral is a deconsecrated Anglican cathedral in the middle of Christchurch, New Zealand. It stands in Cathedral Square and was built between 1864 and 1904. For many years it was the seat of the Bishop of Christchurch and the symbol of the city, with a spire that reached 63 metres above the square.

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At a glance

Country: New Zealand
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand
Built: 1904
Height: 63 m
Type: Religious building

Quick answers

Where is ChristChurch Cathedral?

ChristChurch Cathedral is in Christchurch, New Zealand.

When was ChristChurch Cathedral built?

ChristChurch Cathedral was built in 1904.

How tall is ChristChurch Cathedral?

ChristChurch Cathedral is about 63 m tall.

The Gothic Revival Anglican cathedral at the city's heart, badly damaged in the 2011 earthquake.

Earthquakes damaged the building again and again, mostly the spire, in 1881, 1888, 1901, 1922 and 2010. The February 2011 earthquake destroyed the spire and the upper tower and badly damaged the rest. The lower part of the tower was pulled down at once to help the rescue teams, and the remainder came down in March 2012. Deconsecrated means the building is no longer a holy place for worship.

A cathedral built over 40 years

The city was planned around a cathedral. The English architect George Gilbert Scott drew the design but never visited New Zealand, and the cornerstone was laid on 16 December 1864. Money ran out soon afterwards, and for years the site was an overgrown empty square. In 1873 a New Zealand architect, Benjamin Mountfort, took over and changed details such as the tower pinnacles and porches. The roof is held up by timber from Banks Peninsula. The nave and tower were consecrated on 1 November 1881, and the building was finished in 1904.

After the 2011 earthquake

Parts of the west wall, with its rose window, fell in June 2011 and were damaged again that December. The church wanted to demolish what was left and build a new one, but other groups opposed this and took the matter to court. Strengthening work in 1999 had been credited with keeping the main structure standing during the big quakes. Since August 2013 the congregation has met at the Cardboard Cathedral nearby.

Bringing it back

The stalemate lasted for years until the government appointed an independent negotiator. In September 2017 the diocese announced that the cathedral would be reinstated, helped by extra grants and loans promised by local and central government. By mid-2019 early design and stabilisation work had begun.

Fun facts

Its spire collapsed in the February 2011 earthquake.
The cathedral took 40 years to build, from 1864 to 1904.
Its spire rose 63 metres above Cathedral Square and visitors could climb it for a view.
Strengthening in 1999 helped the walls and roof survive the 2010s earthquakes.
Its congregation now meets in the Cardboard Cathedral.