Christchurch — A City Rebuilding

I landed in Christchurch late that evening from Wellington with a secret. My sister had moved here ten months earlier and had absolutely no idea I was in New Zealand. Nobody had told her. I had kept it entirely to myself for weeks. This was the moment.

She took a very long time to register that I was actually standing in front of her. That reaction was worth every hour of the journey.

I spent a week in Christchurch — walking the city with my sister, learning about the earthquake that changed everything here, sitting alone in the dark at Quake City crying quietly at survivor stories, and slowly understanding a place that has been through something most of us will never be able to fully comprehend. By the time I left I had seen Christchurch in a completely different light. This is the guide to it.

Arrival — The Surprise

My sister had been living in Christchurch for ten months and had not seen me since she left. She did not know I was coming to New Zealand. She did not know I was on a plane. She had no idea.

When I turned up at her door that evening it took her a very long time to process what was happening. There was a lot of silence. Then a lot of noise. It remains one of my favourite travel moments of all time.

The next morning we walked around Christchurch together and even with the construction that was still very much ongoing — cranes on the skyline, fenced off blocks, buildings mid-rebuild — it was beautiful. The bones of what Christchurch had been were still visible, and the determination of what it was becoming was impossible to miss.

Christchurch Cathedral, New Zealand

Understanding the City — The Earthquake and What Happened Here

On 22 February 2011 a magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Christchurch at 12:51pm — lunchtime, when the city centre was full of people. 185 people were killed. Thousands were injured. The city's historic cathedral was devastated. Entire suburbs were rendered uninhabitable by liquefaction. It remains New Zealand's deadliest natural disaster in living memory.

Quake City

Quake City was built specifically to explain the earthquakes to visitors and to honour the experience of the people who lived through them. The exhibition covers the geological history of the Canterbury earthquake sequence, the events of February 22nd in detail and the extraordinary rescue and recovery operation that followed.

And then there is the film. An hour of survivors recounting their stories — where they were, what they heard, what they did, what they lost. I sat alone in the dark and did not make it through without crying. I do not think anyone does.

It was one of the most affecting things I did in four weeks of New Zealand travel. Do not skip it.

The 185 Chairs Memorial

Just behind the Cardboard Cathedral is the 185 Chairs memorial — 185 white-painted chairs, each one different, representing each individual life lost. Bar stools, office chairs, wheelchairs, school desks, garden furniture.

185 Chairs Memorial, Christchurch

You are welcome to sit in any chair that draws you to it. I walked over and the first thing I saw was the baby seat. I could not bring myself to sit in anyone's chair. I stood and looked for a long time.

The Cardboard Cathedral

Officially the Transitional Cathedral — built as a temporary replacement for the earthquake-damaged ChristChurch Cathedral using cardboard tubes as the main structural element. It sounds improbable and looks extraordinary. Seats 700 people, the stained glass is beautiful and the triangular shape gives it a striking presence.

Stained glass inside Cardboard Cathedral, Christchurch

I went expecting to tick a box and came out genuinely impressed. Worth every minute.

More of the City

Beyond the earthquake memorials, Christchurch is a genuinely lovely city — green, walkable and with a creative scene that has flourished in the rebuilt spaces.

• Hagley Park and the Botanic Gardens — 165 hectares of parkland in the heart of the city. Free to enter, beautiful in any season.
• Punting on the Avon — flat-bottomed boats along the Avon River through Hagley Park. Gentle and unhurried.
• The Arts Centre — a beautifully restored Gothic Revival precinct with markets, galleries and artisan studios.
• New Regent Street — pastel-coloured Spanish Mission architecture, one of the most photographed streets in New Zealand.
• Canterbury Museum — free, excellent Māori and Antarctic collections.
• Lyttelton — a port town 12km from the centre through a tunnel in the Port Hills. Excellent cafés and a Saturday market.
• Port Hills — walking and mountain biking trails with panoramic views over the city and Canterbury Plains.

Practical Information

Getting there: Fly into CHC — direct from Auckland, Wellington and Queenstown. About 10km from the city centre.

Getting around: Bike or walk. Christchurch is flat and compact. Buses serve the wider suburbs.

Must see: 185 Chairs and Quake City. Give yourself time. Bring tissues.

Best free activity: Hagley Park and Botanic Gardens.

Day trip: Lyttelton — 12km through the Port Hills tunnel.

Onwards: Bus to Queenstown, around 8 hours.

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• 20 Things to Do in Queenstown
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