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Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the third largest urban area in the country. It is a coastal city, situated in the middle of the South Island's east coast just north of Banks Peninsula.

Named after Christ Church, a college at the University of Oxford, it was originally known as Christ Church, the name being abbreviated through common usage by the 1880s.

The pre-European (Māori) name Ōtautahi, is said to originate from a Māori chief named Tautahi, who is believed to have occupied a seasonal dwelling on a bank of the Avon River near to where the Barbadoes Street bridge now stands. To date there is no documentary or archaeological evidence to support this contention.

Christchurch is located at . *

Geography

Christchurch is the provincial capital of Canterbury, New Zealand, which is about the size of Belgium. The city is situated at the southern end of Pegasus Bay, near the centre of the east coast of the South Island, between Banks Peninsula and the Canterbury Plains. The city is bounded to the east by the Pacific Ocean coast and the estuary of the Avon and Heathcote rivers. To the south and south-east the city is limited by the volcanic slopes of the Port Hills, and to the north by the braided Waimakariri River.

The large number of public parks and well-developed residential gardens with many trees has given Christchurch the name of The Garden City. Hagley Park and the 30-hectare (75-acre) Christchurch Botanic Gardens, founded in 1863, are located in the central city, with Hagley Park being a site for sports such as golf, cricket, netball, and rugby, and for open air concerts by local bands and the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra.

With much of the city being flat and only a few metres above sea level, spectacular views can be obtained from almost any high building. At these low elevations the city appears more like a forest with only a few buildings visible, rather than a major city.

At the centre of the city is Cathedral Square, surrounding the Anglican cathedral, Christ Church.

List of Christchurch suburbs

Inner suburbs
(clockwise, starting north of the city centre)

Mairehau; Shirley; Richmond; Avonside; Linwood; Woolston; Opawa; Waltham; St Martins; Beckenham; Sydenham; Somerfield; Spreydon; Addington; Riccarton; Ilam; Burnside; Fendalton; Bryndwr; Merivale; Papanui; St Albans.

Outer suburbs
(clockwise, starting north of the city centre)

Burwood; Parklands; Waimairi Beach; Avondale; New Brighton; Bexley; Aranui; South Brighton; Southshore; Bromley; Mt Pleasant;Redcliffs; Sumner; Ferrymead; Heathcote Valley; Hillsborough; Murray Aynsley; Huntsbury; Cashmere; Westmoreland; Hoon Hay; Halswell; Oaklands; Wigram; Sockburn; Hornby; Islington; Yaldhurst; Russley; Avonhead; Harewood; Bishopdale; Casebrook; Redwood; Northwood; Belfast.

Satellite towns
(clockwise, starting north of the city centre)

Brooklands; Lyttelton; Tai Tapu; Lincoln; Prebbleton; Templeton; Rolleston; West Melton; Rangiora; Kaiapoi.

Climate

Christchurch has a temperate climate, with maximum temperatures in January ranging from 15°C to 25°C (often reaching 30°C or higher), and maximum temperatures in July ranging from 5°C to 15°C. The summer climate is often moderated by a sea breeze from the northeast, but a record temperature of 41.6 degrees Celsius was reached in February 1973.

A notable feature of the weather is the nor'wester, a hot föhn wind which occasionally reaches storm force and causes widespread damage to property. In winter it is common for the temperature to fall below 0°C at night. Snow falls occur rarely, on average once or twice a year in the hill suburbs and about once or twice every two years on the plain.

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, California, Christchurch smog has often exceeded World Health Organisation recommendations for air pollution. The city has strict requirements for domestic home heating in order to limit air pollution.

Climate Table
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Mean daily maximum temperature (°C) 22 21 19 17 13 11 10 11 13 16 18 19
Mean daily minimum temperature (°C) 12 12 11 8 5 2 2 3 5 7 9 11
Mean total rainfall (mm) 53 46 53 51 69 66 66 53 46 46 48 56
Source: Weather.co.uk Climate Statistics

Demographics

On 6 March 2004, the area administered by the Christchurch City Council had a population of 344,100, making it the second-largest in New Zealand, and the largest city in the South Island. The Christchurch urban area is the third-largest in the country, after Auckland and Wellington.

Ethnic Profile

Economy

The early local economy was based on the agricultural produce of the Canterbury plains. Early manufacturers processed agricultural produce, especially sheep and dairy products, into finished products. The early presence of the University of Canterbury and the heritage of the city's academic institutions working in association with local businesses have fostered a number of technology-based industries. The region now has a range of "new economy" sectors.

Tourism is also a significant factor of the local economy. The closeness of the ski-fields and other attractions of the Southern Alps, and hotels and an airport that meet international standards make Christchurch a stopover destination for many tourists.

Government

Christchurch's local government is a democracy that includes:
  • A city council * comprising the Mayor of Christchurch, and 12 councillors elected in six wards.
  • Six community boards, each covering one ward, with three members each plus the two ward councillors.
  • The Canterbury Regional Council, known as Environment Canterbury including four Christchurch constituencies with two members from each constituency.
  • The Canterbury District Health Board, * with five members for Christchurch.
  • District councils in surrounding areas: , Selwyn, and Waimakariri.
  • Banks Peninsula district council was amalgamated into Christchurch city after a vote by the Banks Peninsula residents to disestablish in November 2005.

In 1993, Christchurch was selected as the "Best Run City in the World", also known as the Carl Bertelsmann Prize, by the Bertelsmann Foundation of Germany, a branch of Bertelsmann media company. It shared the honour with Phoenix, Arizona, USA.

History

Archeological evidence found in a cave at Redcliffs in 1876 has indicated that the Christchurch area was first settled by moa-hunting tribes about 1250. Māori oral history relates that humans occupied the area around the year 1000. These first inhabitants were thought to have been followed by the Waitaha tribe, who are said to have migrated from the East coast of the North Island in the 16th century. Following tribal warfare, the Waitaha (made of three peoples) were dispossesed by the Ngati Mamoe tribe. They were in turn subjugated by the Ngai Tahu tribe, who remained in control until the arrival of European settlers.

Following the purchase of land at Putaringamotu (modern Riccarton) by the Weller brothers whalers of Otago and Sydney a party of European settlers led by Herriott and McGillivray established themselves in what is now the Christchurch area, early in 1840. Their abandoned holdings were taken over by the Deans brothers in 1843 who stayed. What are regarded as the First Four Ships were chartered by the Canterbury Association and arrived on 16 December 1850, bringing the first 792 of the Canterbury Pilgrims to Lyttelton Harbour. These sailing vessels were the Randolph, Charlotte-Jane, Sir George Seymour, and Cressy. The city's name was decided prior to the ships' arrival, at the Association's first meeting, on 27 March 1848.

Captain Thomas, the Canterbury Association's Chief Surveyor, surveyed the surrounding area. By December 1849 he had commissioned the construction of a road from Port Cooper, later Lyttelton, to Christchurch via Sumner. However this proved more difficult than expected and road construction was stopped while a steep foot and pack horse track was constructed over the hill between the port and the Heathcote valley, where access to the site of the proposed settlement could be gained. This track became known as 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 eight miles by water around the coast and up the estuary to Ferrymead. New Zealand's first public railway line, the Ferrymead railway, was opened from Ferrymead to Christchurch in 1863. Due to the difficulties in travelling over the Port Hills and the dangers associated with shipping navigating the Sumner bar, a railway tunnel was bored through the Port Hills to Lyttelton, opening in 1867.

Christchurch became a city by Royal Charter on 31 July 1856, making it the oldest city in New Zealand. Many of the city's fine Gothic buildings by the architect Benjamin Mountfort date from this period.

Christchurch was the seat of provincial administration for the Province of Canterbury.

In 1947, New Zealand's worst fire disaster occurred at Ballantyne's Department Store in the inner city, with 41 people killed in a blaze which razed the rambling collection of buildings.

A road tunnel was constructed between Lyttelton and Christchurch in the early 1960s.

In 1974 Christchurch was host to the Commonwealth Games.

Gateway to the Antarctic

Christchurch has played a significant role in the history of Antarctic exploration. Both Robert Falcon Scott and Ernest Shackleton used the port of Lyttelton as a departure point for expeditions, and there is a statue of Scott (sculpted by his widow) in the central city.

Christchurch International Airport serves as the major base for the Italian and United States Antarctic programs as well as the New Zealand Antarctic programme. The International Antarctic Centre provides both base facilities and a museum and visitor centre.

Visitor attractions

Entertainment

Theatre

Christchurch has one full-time professional theatre, the Court Theatre (external link). There is also an active recreational theatre scene.

Cinema

Christchurch has approximately 35 cinema screens, with more planned in the next few years. While historically most cinemas were grouped around Cathedral Square, only the Regent complex remains there. The largest multiplexes are the Hoyts 8 in the old railway station (Moorhouse Ave) and Reading Cinemas (eight) in the Palms shopping centre in the suburb of Shirley. Hoyts in Riccarton, just recently opened, has the largest screen in New Zealand, called Cinemaxx.

The Christchurch Arts Centre includes two art house cinemas, Cloisters and The Academy, screening a wide selection of contemporary, classic and foreign language films. These cinemas participate in an annual film festival.

There is an active film society in the city.

Christchurch Cinemas

Large concert venues

  • The Westpac Centre is New Zealand's largest permanent multipurpose arena, seating between 5000 and 8000, depending on configuration. Home of the Canterbury Rams , basketball team , and Canterbury Flames, netball side . It was the venue for the 1999 World Netball championships and has been host to many concerts in recent years including Neil Diamond, Rod Stewart, Bob Dylan, Velvet Revolver , Edgefest, 50 Cent and many more major international acts.
  • The Town Hall Auditorium (2000 seats, opened 1974) was the first major auditorium design by architects Warren and Mahoney and acousticians Marshall Day. It is still recognised as a model example of concert-hall design. It has an excellent modern pipe organ.

Dance parties

Christchurch has a wide range of dance parties. Information can be obtained from inner-city cafés such as C1 on High Street, or record stores. While most of the parties are either house or drum'n'bass, occasionally there are trance and hardhouse parties. Unofficially, Christchurch is the drum'n'bass capital of New Zealand holding more d'n'b events than events of any other type.

Live music

The city has a wide range of venues for live music, some short-lived, others with decades of history - catering to hundreds of active live groups and artists.

Christchurch is home to a professional symphony orchestra, the CSO. There are also usually buskers around the town square.

Sport

Sports Played

Major Sporting Grounds

Educational institutions

Tertiary institutes

A number of tertiary education institutions have campuses in Christchurch, or in the surrounding areas.

Secondary schools

Christchurch is well-known for several very traditional schools of the English public school type such as Christ's College, St Andrew's and Rangi Ruru Girls' School, but also has several unusual and innovative schools such as Unlimited paenga tawhiti and Hagley Community College).

Transport

Christchurch is served by Christchurch International Airport and by buses (local and long-distance) and trains. The local bus service, known as Metro, is provided by Environment Canterbury, the Canterbury Regional Council.

The South Island Main Trunk Railway, which runs the length of the South Island's east coast, splits in two in Christchurch, the Main North Line and the Main South Line. The former travels northwards via Kaikoura to Picton and is served by the famous TranzCoastal passenger train, while the latter heads to Invercargill via Dunedin and was used by the Southerner until its cancellation in 2002. The most famous train to depart Christchurch is the TranzAlpine, which travels along the Main South Line to Rolleston and then turns onto the Midland Line, passes through the Southern Alps via the Otira Tunnel and terminates in Greymouth in Westland. This trip is often regarded to be one of the ten great train journeys in the world for the amazing scenery through which it passes.

Sister cities

Christchurch has six sister cities around the world. They are:

External links

References

Further reading

Amodeo, Colin (ed.) (1998). Rescue, the Sumner community and its lifeboat service. Christchurch: Sumner Lifeboat Institution Incorporated.

Canterbury, New Zealand | Cities and towns in New Zealand | Host cities of the Commonwealth Games

Christchurch | Christchurch | Christchurch | Christchurch | کرایست‌چرچ | Christchurch | 크라이스트처치 | Christchurch | Ōtautahi | Christchurch (Nieuw-Zeeland) | クライストチャーチ | Christchurch | Christchurch | Christchurch | Christchurch | Christchurch | Christchurch, Nya Zeeland | 基督城

 

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