Cathedral Square, Christchurch

Cathedral Square, known locally simply as “the Square,” is the symbolic heart of Christchurch. It sits at the center of the original 1850 plan for the settlement and was intended as the setting for Christ Church Cathedral, the Anglican landmark that gave the square its name. The square’s cross-like layout also reflects the strong Anglican character imagined for early colonial Christchurch.

Although it was originally associated with the cathedral and a proposed grammar school, it quickly developed into a civic gathering place. Trams once passed through or departed from the square, office workers crossed it daily, public speakers claimed their corners, and street performers helped give it a lively urban personality. Among its best-known characters was Ian Brackenbury Channell, better known as “The Wizard,” who became a familiar sight in a pointed hat and academic gown.

Several features still give the area its historic and civic weight. Christ Church Cathedral dominates the eastern side of the square and is the easiest landmark to find, with its damaged stonework and restoration area facing the open space. The Citizens’ War Memorial stands to the north-west of the cathedral, slightly away from the building rather than directly against it: look for the tall memorial with bronze figures and a cross rising above the square.

The Godley Statue, honoring John Robert Godley, a leading figure in the Canterbury settlement, stands in the open paved area opposite the cathedral’s western front. On the south-western side, near the corner where the square meets Hereford Street, visitors can look for the former Chief Post Office, one of the square’s most important surviving heritage buildings.

The February 2011 earthquake transformed Cathedral Square and left Christ Church Cathedral severely damaged, turning the area into one of the clearest reminders of the city’s trauma and recovery. The cathedral is still undergoing a long reinstatement process, with current project information pointing to a staged reopening plan.