Christchurch

Christchurch/Ōtautahi

Christchurch is New Zealand’s second largest urban area and is one of only eight pairs of cities that are exact antipodes – Christchurch’s antipode is A Coruna in Spain.  Christchurch also has the distinction of one of the world’s highest quality water supplies.  Water is sourced from the foothills of the Southern Alps and naturally processed by a series of aquifers (permeable rock) as it travels. 

Christchurch’s proximity to the Southern Alps makes it a booming tourist town.
Christchurch lies in the region of Canterbury on the east coast of the South Island.  It is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and estuary of Avon to the east, the volcanic slopes of Port Hills to the south and south east and the Waimakairiri River to the north.  Although a geographically large town, Christchurch’s population is only 368 900 according to the 2006 census.  Still, this makes it New Zealand’s second largest town by population.

Christchurch’s first inhabitants were the flightless (and currently extinct) moa bird.  Maori oral history has the Maori people first settling the area in 1000AD.  The main tribe to reside in the area were the Ngai Tahu tribe.  Christchurch’s Maori name, Otautahi (which means Home of Tatauhi), comes from the Ngai Tahu chief, Te Potiki Tauhati.

European settlers began settling the area in 1840.  These settlers intended to model their new town after Christ Church in Oxford, England.  A myth exists that Christchurch became one word due to a spelling mistake made by one of its founding fathers.

Christchurch has a dry, temperate climate.  The city receives frequent sea breezes from the north east during summer.  New Zealand’s south coast is the only area of the world to receive the no’ west arch, a foehn wind that appears as if from nowhere (sometimes in the middle of a clear day) that can cause storm form attacks.

Residents of Christchurch take advantage of the town’s beautiful natural surroundings, with outdoor pursuits incredibly popular in this region.  Christchurch has many wild life parks and bike and walking tracks to enjoy.  The large number of heritage and decorative gardens has earned Christchurch the nickname City of Gardens.

The Christchurch Arts Centre is Christchurch’s cultural hub.  The renovated neo-gothic building was the original main building for the University of Canterbury.  The Arts Centre is home to the Court Theatre, a professional theatre that employs local and international actors, and the Cloisters and Academy cinemas, which mainly play art house and foreign movies.  Visitors to the Christchurch Arts Centre can also enjoy galleries, cafes and bars.

Christchurch’s music scene was predominately classical for a long time.  The city has a symphony orchestra and is the base for professional opera company, Southern Opera.  Hip hop is beginning to become popular in the town due to the success of Scribe, a former Christchurch resident who became New Zealand’s most well known rapper.

Other popular amenities in Christchurch include the casino and multipurpose sports arena.  There are three universities and one polytechnic in this city.
Residents of Christchurch get the best of both worlds.  This thriving, industrious town boasts all the necessary attractions, while also affording a gorgeous natural environment that you won’t find anywhere else in the world.