Statues and Memorials Tour (Self Guided), Christchurch

Although Christchurch is not very large, it has a wealth of public art heritage. Although ravaged by a powerful earthquake in 2011, which caused severe damage to many local attractions, Christchurch nonetheless has retained much of its charm and has a lot to offer visitors in terms of sightseeing. Indeed, there is no shortage of beautiful buildings, parks, gardens and other places of interest here.

Throughout its history, the city has accumulated a wide range of historically important monuments, commemorative statues and otherwise notable sculptures. The majority of Christchurch's most significant public art works are sited within the four Avenues area in the central part of the city. Here are some of them:

Victoria Square – formerly known as Market Square, back in the day this was where many Māori people used to bring their produce to sell on the banks of the Ōtākaro (Avon) River; now home to the statue of Queen Victoria whose reign fell upon the period of British global imperial expansion;

Kate Sheppard Memorial – observes the 100 years since New Zealand women won the right to vote, in 1893;

Statue of Robert Falcon Scott – a marble monument memorializing the death of Scott and his party on their return from the South Pole in 1912; sculpted by Scott's widow, Kathleen, and unveiled in 1917;

Bridge of Remembrance – A war memorial erected by the citizens of Christchurch in 1923 to initially honor those fell in WWI, but then extended to those who participated in both World Wars and in subsequent conflicts in Borneo, Malaya, Korea and Vietnam.

For a more detailed acquaintance with these and other sculpted landmarks of one of New Zealand's major cities, take this self-guided walking tour.