95-585: The Isaac Theatre Royal (formerly known as the Theatre Royal ) is a heritage building in Christchurch , New Zealand, designed by brothers Sidney and Alfred Luttrell . Built in 1908, it is the only operational Edwardian-style theatre remaining in New Zealand. The current Theatre Royal is the third theatre of its name on Gloucester Street . The first theatre, built in 1861, was on a site across
190-495: A city by royal charter on 31 July 1856, making it officially the oldest established city in New Zealand. Christchurch was heavily industrialised in the early 20th century, with the opening of the Main South Line railway and the development of state housing saw rapid growth in the city's economy and population. Christchurch has strong cultural connections with its European elements and architectural identity. Christchurch
285-612: A few months later in December 1856. In 1862 the Christchurch City Council was established. By 1874, Christchurch was New Zealand's fourth-largest city with a population of 14,270 residents. Between 1871 and 1876 nearly 20,000 immigrants arrived in Canterbury, and through the 1880s frozen meat joined wool as a primary export. The last decades of the nineteenth-century were a period of significant growth for
380-405: A few months later, which occurred directly under the city centre and also caused widespread damage, but this was less severe. Nearly two months later, on Tuesday 22 February 2011, an earthquake measuring magnitude 6.3 struck the city at 12:51 pm. Its hypocentre was located closer to the city, near Lyttelton, at a depth of 5 km (3 mi). Although lower on the moment magnitude scale than
475-554: A grid pattern, centred on Cathedral Square . Growth initially took place along the tramlines, leading to radial development. Major expansion occurred in the 1950s and 60s, with the development of large areas of state housing . Settlements that had originally been remote, such as Sumner , New Brighton , Upper Riccarton and Papanui eventually became amalgamated into the expanding city. The Christchurch functional urban area , as defined by Statistics New Zealand, covers 2,408.1 km (929.8 sq mi). Towns and settlements in
570-595: A number of minor natural disasters during this period. Heavy rain caused the Waimakariri River to flood Christchurch in February 1868. Victoria Square (known as Market Place at the time) was left underwater with "the whole left side of the [Avon] river from Montreal-street bridge to Worcester street was all one lake, as deep as up to a horse's belly". Christchurch buildings were damaged by earthquakes in 1869 , 1881 and 1888 . The 1888 earthquake caused
665-435: A period when there was also slow subsidence in the eastern coastal plains of Canterbury and Christchurch. The result has been the deposition of sequences of mostly fluvial gravel (occurring during periods of low sea level and glaciation), and fine deposits of silt, sand and clay, with some peat, shells and wood (occurring during interglacial periods when the sea level was similar to the present). The layers of gravel beneath
760-533: A population density of 1,370 people per km . Kaiapoi P%C4%81 Kaiapoi Pā is a historic pā site just north of the Waimakariri River in Canterbury, New Zealand . The pā was a major centre of trade and nobility for Ngāi Tahu in the Classical Māori period . Established around 1700, the pā was sacked in 1832 by Ngāti Toa warriors led by Te Rauparaha . Today the pā site is a memorial reserve and
855-548: A response, and after arming himself with muskets Te Rauparaha and his men travelled south down the coast. By coincidence, the Ngāti Kurī people of Kaikōura were expecting a visit from the North Island hapū of Tū-te-pākihi-rangi of Ngāti Kahungunu . The appearance of canoes offshore therefore did not cause alarm. When they came down to the beach they found instead the fleet of canoes belonged to Ngāti Toa. Armed with muskets,
950-466: Is a pun , which in this context can be translated as "piling up of bodies for eating". The roots are the noun kai and the verb apo (to gather together, with a connotation of greediness). The passivating verb ending -hia is used, which is an indicator of the word's North Island origins. This name was popularised in historical accounts by the Reverend Stack. He asserted it was
1045-511: Is a tapu site significant to local iwi . The nearby town of Kaiapoi takes its name from the pā. The pā site is just north of modern-day town of Pegasus , and south-east of the town of Waikuku . Before it was drained by European colonists to create farmland, the area was mostly extensive swamp, with some areas of grassland on higher dry ground. The pā itself was roughly oblong in shape, angled to run south-west to north-east. The western, northern and eastern sides were surrounded by swamp, with
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#17327877005281140-527: Is also home to a number of performing arts centres and academic institutions (including the University of Canterbury ). Christchurch has hosted numerous international sporting events, notably the 1974 British Commonwealth Games at the purpose-built Queen Elizabeth II Park . The city has been recognised as an Antarctic gateway since 1901, and is nowadays one of the five Antarctic gateway cities hosting Antarctic support bases for several nations. Christchurch
1235-645: Is bounded to the east by the Pacific Ocean and to the south by the ancient volcanic complex of the Banks Peninsula . The Avon River (Ōtākaro) winds through the centre of the city, with a large urban park along its banks. With the exception of the Port Hills, it is a relatively flat city, on an average around 20 m (66 ft) above sea level. Christchurch has a reputation for being an English city, with its architectural identity and nickname
1330-556: Is defined as the area centred on Cathedral Square and within the Four Avenues (Bealey Avenue, Fitzgerald Avenue, Moorhouse Avenue and Deans Avenue). It includes Hagley Park , and the Christchurch Botanic Gardens . The design of the central city with its grid pattern of streets, city squares and parkland was laid out by 1850. The central city was among the most heavily damaged areas of Christchurch in
1425-712: Is recorded. The lowest temperature recorded in Christchurch was −9.4 °C (15 °F) in the suburb of Wigram in July 1945. On cold winter nights, the surrounding hills, clear skies, and frosty calm conditions often combine to form a stable inversion layer above the city that traps vehicle exhausts and smoke from domestic fires to cause smog. While not as bad as smog in Los Angeles or Mexico City, Christchurch smog has often exceeded World Health Organisation recommendations for air pollution. To limit air pollution,
1520-568: Is served by the Christchurch Airport in Harewood , the country's second-busiest airport. The city suffered a series of earthquakes from September 2010 , with the most destructive occurring on 22 February 2011 , in which 185 people were killed and thousands of buildings across the city suffered severe damage, with a few central city buildings collapsing, leading to ongoing recovery and rebuilding projects. Christchurch later became
1615-720: Is the largest city in the South Island and the second-largest city by urban area population in New Zealand . Christchurch has an urban population of 415,100, and a metropolitan population of over half a million. It is located in the Canterbury Region , near the centre of the east coast of the South Island, east of the Canterbury Plains . It is located near the southern end of Pegasus Bay , and
1710-403: Is the wind? It is north-east, it is south, It is east in the offing, oh! Come then, O Rauparaha! That you may see the fire, On the crimson flat of Kaiapohia. —Kukurarangi, Te Ati Awa, Kapiti Island 1831 The final word — Kaiapohia —
1805-527: The Ashley River / Rakahuri and the surrounding Taerutu swamp were a convenient way of transporting goods for trade. The pā traded in pounamu from the Arahura River , tītī (muttonbird) from the islands around Stewart Island / Rakiura , and obsidian from Mayor Island / Tuhua . The pā itself cultivated sugar from cabbage tree roots, as well as kūmara . The trade in pounamu in particular gave
1900-487: The Ballantynes department store on the corner of Cashel and Colombo Streets unexpectedly burned out of control, resulting in New Zealand's worst fire disaster . Despite being initially thought to be under control, the fire suddenly spread to the upper floors and consumed the entire building within minutes. The speed of the fire trapped 41 staff members on the upper floor, all of whom were killed. The department store
1995-483: The Banks Peninsula tribes, taking the principal fort at Ōnawe , in Akaroa Harbour . In 1848 the site was visited by Walter Mantell . He had been tasked with identifying the location of the northern boundary of Kemp's purchase of land from the South Island iwi. The deed specified that the iwi had sold all land as far north as 'Kaiapohia', but Kemp himself never visited the location and marked it as close to
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#17327877005282090-659: The Bridle Path because the path was so steep that pack horses needed to be led by the bridle . Goods that were too heavy or bulky to be transported by pack horse over the Bridle Path were shipped by small sailing vessels some 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) by sea around the coast and up the Avon Heathcote Estuary to Ferrymead . Overturned boats at the Sumner bar were a frequent cause of new arrivals to
2185-589: The Charlotte Jane was the first to arrive on 16 December 1850. The Canterbury Pilgrims had aspirations of building a city around a cathedral and college, on the model of Christ Church in Oxford . Transport between the port and the new settlement at Christchurch was a major problem for the early settlers. By December 1849, Thomas had commissioned the construction of a road from Port Cooper, later Lyttelton , to Christchurch via Evans Pass and Sumner . By
2280-526: The Halswell River begins north-west of the Port Hills on the periphery of Christchurch and flows to Lake Ellesmere / Te Waihora . As a consequence of the flat terrain and spring-fed streams, large parts of the area now occupied by Christchurch City were originally a coastal wetland, with extensive swamp forests. Much of the forest was destroyed by fire, mostly likely by the earliest inhabitants, from around 1000 CE . When European settlers arrived in
2375-1418: The Hurunui River . During his visit, Mantell stood in the middle of the former pā and argued about land ownership with representatives of Ngāi Tūāhiriri. He recorded the pā itself as a reserve belonging to Māori on his map. A monument to the pā was erected in 1898 by Canon Stack . The inscription on the monument reads: KA TU TENEI POUREWA KI RUNGA KI KAIAPOHIA HEI TOHU WHAKAMAHARATANGA KO TE PA TUATAHI TENEI O NGAI-TAHU AKE I TO RATOU WHAKA-WHITINGA MAI I AOTEAROA KI TENEI TAKIWA O TE WAIPOUNAMU NEI KO TU-RAKAUTAHI ME ONA HAPU NA RATOU I NOHO TUTURU TENEI PA KA HUAINA IHO E IA TE INGOA KO TE KOHANGA O KAIKAI-A-WARO NA ONA URI I HUA KO KAIAPOHIA A WAIHO IHO TENEI PA HEI UPOKO MO ERA ATU PA A NGAI-TAHU THIS MONUMENT STANDS ON THE SITE OF KAIAPOHIA THE FIRST PA ESTABLISHED BY THE NGAI-TAHU TRIBE AFTER CROSSING FROM THE NORTH ISLAND TO THIS DISTRICT OF THE SOUTH ISLAND TU-RAKAUTAHI HEADED THE SUB TRIBE WHICH FOUNDED THE PA ABOUT THE YEAR 1700 FIRST CALLING IT THE NEST OF KAIKAI-A-WARO • HIS DESCENDANTS CHANGED THE NAME TO KAIAPOHIA COMMONLY KNOWN AS KAIAPOI LATER THE PA WAS REGARDED AS THE CHIEF NGAI-TAHU STRONGHOLD During
2470-721: The June aftershock . The Theatre was closed for nearly four years while the restoration took place. At a cost of $ 40 million the Theatre was completely restored and brought up to current building code requirements. All of the significant architectural elements were rescued and restored by skilled craftsmen; including a completely rebuilt auditorium dome made from carbon fibre using the original 1908 painted mural by Studio Carolina Izzo. The newly restored Theatre opened on 17 November 2014. Christchurch Christchurch ( / ˈ k r aɪ s . tʃ ɜːr tʃ / ; Māori : Ōtautahi )
2565-482: The 'Garden City' due to similarities with garden cities in England, but also has a historic Māori heritage. Christchurch has a temperate oceanic climate with regular moderate rainfall. The area of modern-day greater Christchurch was first inhabited by the historic Māori iwi Waitaha in the mid-thirteenth century. Waitaha, who occupied the swamplands with patchworks of marshland , were invaded by Kāti Māmoe in
2660-486: The 19th century, the area was a mixture of swamp and tussock grasslands, with only remnant patches of forest. An early European visitor was William Barnard Rhodes , captain of the barque Australian, who climbed the Port Hills from Lyttelton Harbour in September 1836 and observed a large grassy plain with two small areas of forest. He reported that "All the land that I saw was swamp and mostly covered with water". Most of
2755-485: The 2010 and 2011 earthquakes. Following the second earthquake, the Central City Red Zone was set up as an exclusion zone for public safety reasons, and many parts remained closed to the public until June 2013. A large number of heritage buildings were demolished following the earthquake, along with most of the city's high rise buildings . The Christchurch Central Recovery Plan was developed to lead
2850-867: The Blessed Sacrament was opened in February 1905. It was designed by Francis Petre with inspiration from the Saint-Vincent-de-Paul in Paris. In 1906, the New Zealand International Exhibition opened in Hagley Park, which had over a million visitors. In 1908, the city experienced its first major fire which started at the Strange's Department Store and destroyed buildings in central Christchurch on High St, Cashel St and Lichfield Streets. Christchurch
2945-486: The Chief Censor, making the footage illegal to possess and distribute within New Zealand. On 2 June 2020, the attacker pleaded guilty to multiple charges of murder, attempted murder, and terrorism. On 27 August, he was sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole, the first time such a sentence was handed down in New Zealand. Christchurch is halfway along the east coast of the South Island , facing
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3040-658: The Christchurch urban area , 3,310 people in the Lyttelton urban area, 1,720 people in the Diamond Harbour urban area, and 6,770 people in rural settlements and areas. Christchurch City had a population of 391,383 in the 2023 New Zealand census , an increase of 22,377 people (6.1%) since the 2018 census , and an increase of 49,914 people (14.6%) since the 2013 census . There were 192,684 males, 196,557 females and 2,139 people of other genders in 150,909 dwellings. 4.5% of people identified as LGBTIQ+ . The median age
3135-480: The Ngāti Toa warriors were able to attack at a distance across the water. The pā was destroyed, with many of the occupants killed or sent back to Kapiti Island as slaves. After destroying Omihi, Te Rauparaha and his allies proceeded to Kaiapoi, ostensibly to trade muskets for pounamu. The Kaiapoi people soon learned of the attack at Omihi. A Ngāpuhi warrior, Hakitara, was staying with Ngāi Tahu at Kaiapoi pā. During
3230-592: The North Island and invaded the Christchurch basin, ultimately gaining control of much of Canterbury. Kāi Tahu arrived a century later, and the two ultimately absorbed Waitaha through a mixture of conflict and marriage. For these early Māori, the area of Christchurch was an important foraging ground and a seasonal settlement. Several Māori settlements were within Christchurch during the early-nineteenth century, such as Pūtarikamotu in modern-day Riccarton , and Papanui . In both cases these were located in areas of surviving tall forest. In South New Brighton there
3325-458: The Port Hill almost reaching Governors Bay in the south-west. Eleven houses were destroyed by fire and over 2,076 hectares (5,130 acres) of land was burned. In 2024, a second fire on the Port Hills burned 700 hectares (1,700 acres). The fire was also started under similarly suspicious circumstances. Lessons from the 2017 fire contributed to a more effective emergency response, and the fire
3420-571: The South Pacific Ocean. With the exception of the Port Hills on Banks Peninsula to its south, the city sits on flat land, on average around 20 m (66 ft) above sea level. The present land mass of New Zealand split from the super continent of Gondwana around 85 million years ago. Prior to that time, mudstone and hardened sandstones commonly known as greywacke was deposited and deformed by tectonic movement. Following
3515-517: The Tautahi in question was the son of the Port Levy chief Huikai. Prior to that, Ngāi Tahu generally referred to the Christchurch area as Karaitiana , an anglicised version. "ChCh" is commonly used as an abbreviation of Christchurch . In New Zealand Sign Language , Christchurch is signed with two Cs. Prior to European occupation of the modern-day greater Christchurch area, the land
3610-455: The area begins in approximately 1250 C.E., with evidence of prolonged occupation beginning no later than 1350 AD. These first occupants lived in coastal caves around modern-day Sumner , and preyed upon local species of moa . The early settlers and their descendants became known as the historic Waitaha iwi. Around c. 1500 the Kāti Māmoe iwi migrated south from the east coast of
3705-683: The area in 1849 and 1850. Working with his assistant, Edward Jollie , they named the various ports and settlements in the area, and chose a simple grid pattern for the streets of Christchurch. The First Four Ships were chartered by the Canterbury Association and brought the Canterbury Pilgrims to Lyttelton Harbour in 1850. These sailing vessels were the Randolph , Charlotte Jane , Sir George Seymour , and Cressy . The journey took three to four months, and
3800-818: The census question. At the 2018 census, Europeans formed the majority in all sixteen wards, ranging from 57.7% in the Riccarton ward to 93.1% in the Banks Peninsula ward. The highest concentrations of Māori and Pasifika people were in the Linwood ward (18.3% and 9.0% respectively), followed by the Burwood ward (15.5% and 6.6%), while the highest concentrations of Asian people were in the Riccarton ward (34.9%) and Waimairi ward (26.7%). Christchurch urban area covers 294.43 km (113.68 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 403,300 as of June 2024, with
3895-544: The central city remaining relatively unchanged between 1914 and 1960, Christchurch grew rapidly during the 20th century in part due to the construction of many state houses . The earliest state houses were built in Sydenham in the 1900s, to house workers that were employed in nearby factories, with more houses built in 1909 near the Addington Railway Workshops . In November 1947, a basement fire at
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3990-418: The chief, his wife and his daughter prisoner. That night, Te Rauparaha's men came ashore to sack Takapūneke. The brig returned to Kapiti with Te Maiharanui and his family held captive. Rather than see his daughter enslaved, Te Maiharanui strangled her and threw her overboard. Te Rauparaha then gave Te Maiharanui to the wife of the Ngāti Toa chief Te Pēhi, who killed Te Maiharanui by slow torture. His wife suffered
4085-613: The city, despite the national economic depression. Many of the city's stone Gothic Revival buildings by provincial architect Benjamin Mountfort date from around this period, including Canterbury University College , ChristChurch Cathedral , Canterbury Museum , and the Canterbury Provincial Council Buildings , among others. Mountfort oversaw construction of a prison on Lincon Road in 1874, which operated until 1999. Christchurch experienced
4180-533: The colony losing all their luggage. The Sumner Road was completed in 1857, though this did not alleviate the transport problems. In 1858 the provincial superintendent William Sefton Moorhouse announced that a tunnel would be dug between Lyttelton and Christchurch. While the tunnel was under construction, New Zealand's first public railway line, the Ferrymead Railway , opened from Ferrymead to Christchurch in 1863. Between 1853 and 1876 Christchurch
4275-473: The correct name, used it as the title of his book on the siege, and used the name in the monument on the pā site. However, there are no records of any Ngāi Tahu chiefs of the nineteenth century using the name. When asked in 1879, Natanahira Waruwarutu said, "It is the ignorance of the northern Māoris which has induced them to call it Kaiapohia." Stack had learned the Māori language in the North Island, and he described
4370-428: The defenders, who could have harvest eels and birds. As a result, the siege lasted three months. The attackers slowly approached the walls by sapping , and began piling up dry brushwood against the walls of the pā with the intention of burning it. During autumn, the defenders waited for an opportunity when the wind was blowing from north-west, and lit the brushwood that had been piled up by their enemy. Their intention
4465-459: The eastern Canterbury plains and Christchurch area form an artesian aquifer with the interbedded fine sediments as an impermeable layer, or aquiclude. Water pressure from the artesian aquifer has led to the formation of numerous spring-fed streams. In Christchurch, the Avon River / Ōtākaro and Ōpāwaho / Heathcote River rivers have spring-fed sources in the western suburbs of Christchurch, and
4560-464: The eastern, southern and northern parts of the city were wet areas when European settlement began. Over the period since European settlement commenced, land drainage works have enabled development of land across the city. There are now only small remnants of wetland remaining, such as Riccarton Bush , Travis Wetland , Ōtukaikino wetland, and the Cashmere Valley. Christchurch Central City
4655-495: The first, of magnitude 5.8 according to the US Geological Survey, 26 km (16 mi) north-east of the city at a depth of 4.7 km (2.9 mi), at 13:58, followed by several aftershocks and another earthquake of magnitude 6.0 and similar location 80 minutes later. On 13 February 2017, two bush fires started on the Port Hills . These later merged and the single large wildfire extended down both sides of
4750-463: The functional urban area include: Christchurch has a temperate oceanic climate ( Köppen : Cfb ) with a mild summer, cool winter, and regular moderate rainfall. It has mean daily maximum air temperatures of 22.6 °C (73 °F) in January and 10.9 °C (52 °F) in July. Summer in the city is mostly warm, but is often moderated by a sea breeze from the north-east. A notable feature of
4845-619: The highest 7.8 metres of the Christchurch Cathedral spire to collapse, many chimneys were broken, and the Durham Street Methodist Church had its stonework damaged. In November 1901, a magnitude 6.9 earthquake , centred near Cheviot , caused the spire on top of ChristChurch Cathedral to collapse again, but this time only the top 1.5 metres fell. On this occasion, it was rebuilt with timber and metal instead of stone. The Catholic Cathedral of
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#17327877005284940-506: The highest for the Christchurch metropolitan area was 42.4 °C (108 °F) recorded in Rangiora on the same day. In winter, subfreezing temperatures are common, with nights falling below 0 °C (32 °F) an average of 50 times a year at Christchurch Airport and 23 times a year in the city centre. There are on average 80 days of ground frost per year. Snowfall occurs on average three times per year, although in some years none
5035-462: The main entrance via higher ground at the south. The pā was surrounded by earthen banks topped with wooden palisades . At the south-eastern side was the Kaitangata gate, behind which was a watchtower . The other two main gates, Hiakarere and Huirapa, were on either side of the south-western corner. Just to the south of this southern palisade was an area devoted to housing and ovens. Just within
5130-610: The mid-2000s the planned township of Pegasus was built very close to the pā site. The developers engaged with Ngāi Tūāhuriri to explore and document archaeological sites in the area. After the 2011 Christchurch earthquakes the tekoteko at the top of the monument was removed and is in the possession of the Canterbury Museum, Christchurch . The site and the monument on it are both listed as Category-II historic places by Heritage New Zealand for their historical significance to Ngāi Tahu. According to Ngāi Tahu tradition,
5225-538: The mountains carried alluvial gravels over the area that is now the Canterbury Plains , covering the underlying rock to depths of between 200 and 600 metres. Continuing tectonic movement created faults that penetrate from the greywacke rock into the layers above. These faults remain beneath Canterbury and Christchurch. The glacial/interglacial cycles of the Quaternary Period led to multiple rises and falls in sea level. These sea level changes occurred over
5320-408: The name was coined by Tūrākautahi. The name has two root words: kai (food) and poi (to swing or toss). When Tūrākautahi was challenged on his chosen location — which provided only eels and waterfowl but not any other food — he determined that food could be brought in from surrounding settlements. The name reflects Kaiapoi's mana as a centre of trade and economics for the iwi. The name of
5415-451: The night he heard the Ngāti Toa leaders planning how they would attack the pā following morning. At dawn Hakitara snuck away from the Ngāti Toa warriors to warn the pā of the planned attack. Thanks to this forewarning, the Ngāi Tahu chief Te Maiharanui ordered a retaliatory attack. The leading Ngāti Toa chiefs were killed, including Te Pēhi Kupe . The only prominent Ngāti Toa leader not slain
5510-447: The one-way system running through central Christchurch was established. The first two streets to be made one-way were Lichfield and St Asaph streets. They were followed by Barbadoes, Madras, Salisbury and Kilmore streets. A police station opened in 1973 on Hereford street, it was imploded and demolished in 2015. Christchurch hosted the 1974 British Commonwealth Games at the purpose-built Queen Elizabeth II Park . The sports complex
5605-464: The planned new city, including its own cathedral, the smallest in England. Other possibilities are that it was named for Christchurch, Dorset , or for Canterbury Cathedral . Many of the early colonists did not like the name, preferring instead the name Lyttelton, but the Colonists' Council resolved to stick with the name of Christchurch in 1851, because it had been used by surveyors and distinguished
5700-420: The population of workers in the city, which soon spread industrialisation to Sydenham . As central Christchurch grew, many cottages were demolished to make way for light-industrial and retail premises near Moorhouse Avenue as they expanded south. Many churches were also built to compensate for its growing Christian population. The population of Christchurch exceeded 100,000 for the first time in 1919. Despite
5795-418: The previous earthquake, the intensity and violence of the ground shaking was measured to be IX ( Violent ) , among the strongest ever recorded globally in an urban area, which killed 185 people. On 13 June 2011 Christchurch was again rocked by two more large aftershocks . This resulted in more liquefaction and building damage, but no more lives were lost. There were further earthquakes on 23 December 2011;
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#17327877005285890-467: The pā a reputation for great wealth. The pā was a major centre of nobility for Ngāi Tahu, with many of the most important whānau based at Kaiapoi. The first attack made against Ngāi Tahu by Te Rauparaha and his Ngāti Toa allies was at Omihi , south of Kaikōura , around c. 1827–28 . Te Rauparaha had heard that the chief at Omihi, Rerewaka, had boasted that he would disembowel Te Rauparaha if he ventured too far south. This insult demanded
5985-639: The pā is often mistakenly given as "Kaiapohia", but the origin of this name was a curse against Ngāi Tahu by Ngāti Toa. Before embarking on his final raid on the pā, Te Rauparaha consulted with the Te Āti Awa tohunga Kukurarangi, who made a prophecy: He aha te hau, He uru, He tonga, He parera Kai waho e, Nau mai ra e Raha, Kia kite koe i te Ahi, I Papakura ki Kaiapohia What
6080-575: The rebuild of the city centre, and featured 17 "anchor projects". There has been massive growth in the residential sector in the central city, particularly in the East Frame development. There are currently no legal definition of the boundaries of suburbs in Christchurch. The suburb boundaries are largely defined by third-party agencies, such as Statistics New Zealand and New Zealand Post , and may differ between agencies or sources. The earliest suburbs of Christchurch were laid out with streets in
6175-446: The regional council banned the use of open fires in the city in 2006. Christchurch City covers a land area of 1,415.15 km (546.39 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 415,100 as of June 2024, with a population density of 293 people per km . This is the second-most populous area administered by a single council in New Zealand, and the largest city in the South Island . The population comprises 403,300 people in
6270-406: The retail business of the central city moving out to urban shopping malls. These typically included large car parking areas to suit the growing shift towards personal car ownership, and away from public transport. Hornby became a significant industrial suburb in the 1960s, with industrial and residential premises expanding westwards. The Lyttelton road tunnel between Lyttelton and Christchurch
6365-547: The road from the current Theatre Royal. It was originally called the Canterbury Music Hall. That building was replaced by a newer theatre on the same site in 1876. Five years after the new theatre was completed it was renamed the Theatre Royal. When the current theatre was built in 1908 the old theatre across the road was sold to The Press , which owned it up until the Canterbury earthquakes. In 1928
6460-516: The same fate. Te Rauparaha then mounted a major expedition against Kaiapoi Ngāi Tahu in the summer of 1831–32. He enlisted the help of warriors from Te Āti Awa and Ngāti Raukawa , and led some skirmishes against the iwi at the top of the South Island before returning to Kapiti. In early 1832 they travelled further south, landing at the mouth of the Waipara River . They sacked the major settlement at Tuahiwi and proceeded on to Kaiapoi. At
6555-537: The settlement from the port. The Māori name for modern-day Christchurch is Ōtautahi , meaning ' the place of Tautahi ' . It was adopted as the Māori name for the city in the 1930s. Ōtautahi precisely refers to a specific site by the Avon River / Ōtākaro in Central Christchurch. The site was a seasonal food-gathering place of Ngāi Tahu chief Te Pōtiki Tautahi. A different account claims
6650-511: The site of a terrorist attack targeting two mosques on 15 March 2019. The name Christchurch was adopted at the first meeting of the Canterbury Association on 27 March 1848. The reason it was chosen is not known with certainty, but the most likely reason is it was named after Christ Church, Oxford , the alma mater of many members of the association, including John Robert Godley . Christ Church college had similarities with
6745-470: The sixteenth century, and then were absorbed by Kāi Tahu a century later. Ōtautahi was inhabited seasonally, and a major trading centre was established at Kaiapoi Pā . British colonial settlement began in the mid-nineteenth century. The First Four Ships were chartered by the Canterbury Association and brought the Canterbury Pilgrims from Britain to Lyttelton Harbour in 1850. It became
6840-553: The southern side close to the wall. The site itself is considered wāhi tapu by the local iwi. Kaiapoi pā was established around the year 1700 by the Ngāi Tahu chief Tūrākautahi . Eventually to become the largest fortified village in the South Island , it lay on the site of a stronghold of an earlier tribe, either the Waitaha or Kāti Māmoe , both of which were absorbed by Ngāi Tahu through warfare and intermarriage. Tūrākautahi
6935-548: The split from Gondwana, during the period between 80 and 23 million years ago, the land became eroded and subsided below sea level. Marine and terrestrial sediments were deposited, leaving the greywacke as the oldest and deepest layers ( basement rock ). Around 11–6 million years ago, volcanic eruptions created the Banks Peninsula volcanic complex . Over the last two million years as the Southern Alps were rising, there were multiple periods of glaciation . Rivers flowing from
7030-438: The theatre was refitted as a cinema. During the refit the current marble staircase replaced the original wooden one. Significant structural earthquake strengthening was carried out in 1999 and 2000. Between 2004 and 2005 major work was done to the theatre over a nine-month period at a cost of $ 6.2 million. The whole backstage was demolished to make room for a modern concrete fly tower and dressing room facilities. The Proscenium arch
7125-516: The time that John Robert Godley arrived in April 1850 all of the funds for public works had been used up in constructing the road. Godley ordered that all work on the road should stop, leaving the steep foot and pack horse track that had been hastily constructed over the hill between the port and the Heathcote valley as the only land-access to the area of Christchurch. This track became known as
7220-425: The time, Ngāi Tūāhuriri were engaged in collecting food from all across Canterbury, and the attack from the northern tribe was unexpected. The attackers laid siege to the pā, but were unable to breach the defences. The surrounding swamp limited which approaches they could take, and the only approaches on solid land were heavily fortified and exposed to musket fire from within the pā. The swamp also provided food for
7315-399: The walls were the major wharenui which were built to face north. The ahu (shrine to the local deity) of the pā was at the northern end, with houses spread across the central area. At the time of the siege the pā had a population of around 1,000 people. Today the pā site is an empty field, though remains of the earthworks can still be clearly seen. A large monument is located at
7410-427: The weather is the nor'wester , a hot föhn wind that occasionally reaches storm force, causing widespread minor damage to property. Like many cities, Christchurch experiences an urban heat island effect; temperatures are slightly higher within the inner-city regions compared to the surrounding countryside. The highest temperature recorded in Christchurch was 41.6 °C (106.9 °F) on 7 February 1973, however
7505-647: Was $ 40,400, compared with $ 41,500 nationally. 35,010 people (10.7%) earned over $ 100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 163,554 (50.1%) people were employed full-time, 47,463 (14.5%) were part-time, and 8,913 (2.7%) were unemployed. People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 75.9% European ( Pākehā ); 11.2% Māori ; 4.3% Pasifika ; 17.1% Asian ; 1.9% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.2% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English
7600-449: Was 37.5 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 64,722 people (16.5%) aged under 15 years, 84,633 (21.6%) aged 15 to 29, 178,113 (45.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 63,912 (16.3%) aged 65 or older. Of those at least 15 years old, 70,764 (21.7%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 160,440 (49.1%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 73,659 (22.5%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income
7695-555: Was Te Rauparaha. Te Rauparaha returned to Kapiti Island to plan his revenge. In early November 1830, he persuaded Captain John Stewart of the brig Elizabeth to hide him and his warriors on board. They then visited the Ngāi Tahu people of Takapūneke near present-day Akaroa under the ruse of trading for flax. Captain Stewart persuaded Te Maiharanui to board the brig and be taken below deck, where Te Rauparaha and his men took
7790-721: Was a crucial factor in the decision of where to place the settlement of Christchurch, as it proved that the swampy ground could be farmed. The Deans brothers named their farm after their former parish in Ayrshire , Scotland; they also named the river near their farm after the Avon Water in South Lanarkshire , which rises in the hills near to where their grandfather's farm was located. The Canterbury Association 's Chief Surveyor, Captain Joseph Thomas , surveyed
7885-421: Was a major Māori settlement named Te Kai-a-Te-Karoro , this was an important food-gathering area to Ngāi Tūāhuriri that had kelp gull presence and mānuka scrub. Te Ihutai (The Avon Heathcote Estuary ) was an important food source for local iwi and hapū , the estuary providing food such as, flounder and shellfish. Kaiapoi Pā was the most important trading area, and the centre of a thriving economy. The pā
7980-482: Was actually a combination of seven or eight different buildings, joined to form a "perplexing maze" with no sprinklers or alarm system. A subsequent Royal commission of enquiry resulted in changes to the building code to improve fire safety. Thousands of mourners, including the Prime Minister, attended a mass funeral in the aftermath. During the 1960s Christchurch experienced urban sprawl , with much of
8075-525: Was also widened by 1.5m and the stage and fly tower were made wider and deeper. The facilities within the existing front of house areas were also upgraded. It was during the 2004/5 renovation that the theatre became the Isaac Theatre Royal, to honour supporter Lady Diana Isaac . The 1908 auditorium and foyer sustained considerable damage during the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake and
8170-419: Was heavily industrialised in the early 20th century, particularly the suburbs of Woolston and Addington , with Woolston housing a large amount of New Zealand's rubber industry. Many warehouses, factories and large premises of railway workshops were built along the Main South Line . There was notable development of breweries, flour mills , and light-commercial in Christchurch. This significantly increased
8265-615: Was located at the nexus of the major rivers of Christchurch, the Avon River / Ōtākaro, Ōpāwaho / Heathcote River and the Styx River . It was the likely richest eel fishery in the country at that time. Sugar was produced from plantations of cabbage trees . European settlement of the Canterbury Region was largely influenced by brothers William and John Deans in 1843. The Deans farm located in Riccarton Bush
8360-432: Was more-quickly contained. On 15 March 2019, fifty-one people died from two consecutive mass shootings at Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Islamic Centre by an Australian white supremacist . Forty others were injured. The attacks have been described by then Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern as "one of New Zealand's darkest days". Just days after the attacks the live-streamed footage became classified as objectionable by
8455-471: Was open in 1973, one year before the games. On Saturday, 4 September 2010, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Christchurch and the central Canterbury region at 4:35 am. With its hypocentre near Darfield , west of the city at a depth of 10 kilometres (6.2 mi), it caused widespread damage to the city and minor injuries, but no direct fatalities. This was followed by the Boxing Day earthquake
8550-493: Was opened in 1964. Television broadcasts began in Christchurch on 1 June 1961 with the launch of channel CHTV3, making Christchurch the second New Zealand city to receive regular television broadcasts. The channel initially broadcast from a 10-kilowatt transmitter atop the Gloucester Street studios until it switched to the newly built 100-kilowatt Sugarloaf transmitter in the Port Hills on 28 August 1965. In 1969,
8645-501: Was originally swampland with patchworks of marshland, grassland, scrub and some patches of tall forest of mostly kahikatea , mataī and tōtara . The inner coastal sand dunes were covered in hardier scrub bush, including akeake , taupata , tūmatakuru , ngaio , carmichaelia , and coprosma . Christchurch was rich in birdlife prior to European colonisation, as they burned down forests and introduced predators, it led to local extinction of native birds. Evidence of human activity in
8740-557: Was spoken by 95.8%, Māori language by 2.4%, Samoan by 1.3% and other languages by 16.8%. No language could be spoken by 2.1% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.6%. The percentage of people born overseas was 27.8, compared with 28.8% nationally. Religious affiliations were 31.6% Christian , 2.1% Hindu , 1.3% Islam , 0.4% Māori religious beliefs , 1.0% Buddhist , 0.5% New Age , 0.1% Jewish , and 2.0% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 54.9%, and 6.3% of people did not answer
8835-472: Was the administrative seat of the Province of Canterbury . While slow at first, growth in the town began to accelerate towards the end of the 1850s, with a period of rapid growth between 1857 and 1864. Christchurch became the first city in New Zealand by royal charter on 31 July 1856, and Henry Harper was consecrated by the archbishop of Canterbury as the local Anglican bishop. He arrived in Christchurch
8930-414: Was the second son of Tūāhuriri , consequently Ngāi Tūāhuriri is the name of the hapū (subtribe) of this area. The pā was originally called Te Kōhaka-a-Kaikaiāwaro . This roughly translates to "The nest of Kaikaiāwaro". In Māori mythology, Kaikaiāwaro is a taniwha and kaitiaki that took the form of a dolphin or a bird. The pā was a major centre of trade for Ngāi Tahu. The waterways of
9025-484: Was to remove the threat of fire to the pā, while also driving back the attackers with the wind-blown smoke. This plan initially seemed to be successful, but the wind suddenly changed direction to the south, blowing the smoke and flames back against the pā. Te Rauparaha took advantage of the chaos and his men invaded the pā. The settlement was completely destroyed, with the occupants that had not managed to flee being killed and eaten or taken as slaves. Ngāti Toa then attacked
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