Today was the day that Brendan and I went our separate ways. He’s here for another 6 days and I leave tomorrow from Auckland. Therefore, after he left to drive to Kaikoura, I explored Christchurch in the daylight before flying back to Auckland.
Here are the top 10 things that I learned and enjoyed about this inviting city:
1️⃣ Christchurch is the largest city on the South Island and second largest in New Zealand with 407,000 people and 556,000 in the metropolitan area.
2️⃣ It’s been an Antarctic gateway since 1901 (of special interest to me!)
3️⃣ Christchurch suffered a series of earthquakes starting on September 2010, with the worst occurring on February 22, 2011. 185 people were killed and thousands of buildings suffered severe damage. Many of the central city’s building collapsed, and there are still rebuilding projects happening today.
While this wasn’t New Zealand’s largest earthquake, it was devastating due to a perfect storm: middle of a work day, struck right under the city, the ground itself failed, older buildings were not designed to withstand earthquakes due to unreinforced masonry (stone/brick), and the aftershocks continued to weaken the structures.
4️⃣ Because of the earthquake, the city is a blend of old and new with historic stone buildings standing alongside modern architecture, all stitched together with art, great food, and a sense of reinvention after the earthquake.
5️⃣ I hopped on-off the tram to learn more about this incredible city centre.
6️⃣ The focal point is the Christchurch Cathedral which stands in the heart of the city. It suffered tremendously after the earthquake and was closed.
Today it’s part ruin, part rebuild, and a powerful reminder of everything this place has been through and where it’s going.
They had an option to demolish it or refurbished it. The city chose to refurbish it, but it’s been far more expensive than originally thought. They didn’t exactly run out of money, but the rebuild got so expensive that funding couldn’t keep up, so the project had to pause. Now it’s being reworked in stages to with construction expected to restart and an aim for partial reopening by ~2030.
7️⃣ The Cardboard Cathedral (Transitional Cathedral) —They didn’t have a working church after the earthquake in 2011 and the city needed a temporary home for worship and bringing to people back together.
Japanese architect, Shigeru Ban, is known for using unconventional materials (like cardboard) in disaster zones and designed a cardboard church!
Built in 2013, it’s made with 98 massive cardboard tubes that have been reinforced with both timber and steel. It’s a A-frame and built to last 50+ years.
It’s also water and fire resistant.
I could not go inside as there was a worship in progress but I did walk around it and could see how it’s a symbol of creativity after disaster.
8️⃣ The murals are incredible! These are also a result of the earthquake in 2011. Christchurch doesn’t hide its rebuild, it paints it. From native birds to faces of locals, these blank walls tell stories of resilience, creativity, and starting over.
9️⃣ The food. Wow.
In less than two days, Christchurch completely delivered (see last night’s dinner under post from yesterday). Today I wandered through Riverside Market and sampled local cheeses (thank you, Charring Cross Cheesery!). This city takes its food seriously.
Then I found it—the holy grail of gluten-free pastries.
An entire case, all GF (yes, really), and I just stood there trying to decide where to begin. If you’re gluten-free, you already know…this was a moment.
🔟 I found a rock and crystal shop! It’s always a good day when I can look at rocks!
BONUS: Walking along the Avon River and exploring! Peaceful.🌿
There are so many different things I saw, tasted, admired…but I didn’t do it all, which means I will have to come back!
Christina’s Journey Journal 