Author's product rating: 
| Advantages: |
Wonderful view from spire, interesting decor, great central location near other sites, free |
| Disadvantages: |
Quite busy |
| Recommend to potential buyers: |
yes |
Christchurch is my favourite city in New Zealand. It is modern and happening, whilst still retaining a very refined and serene atmosphere, with its willow-banked river creeping through the city centre, benches in small gardens for people to pass time on, and lovely old buildings.
The centrepiece of Christchurch would have to be its gothic-style cathedral. It is located in the attractively cobbled Cathedral Square, which is packed with people enjoying street performers, including jugglers and the famous Wizard of Christchurch, an official living monument who is a site in himself, preaching on all kinds of topics from a step ladder, tourists playing giant chess, marketstalls, baton twirlers, choirs, sculptures, cafes and bars. And there is no better place to watch all this going on that from the top of the cathedral spire.
From the outside the cathedral seems huge, and dwarfs the large square, with its pointed spire, magnificent rose window, and lovely stone in varying shades of grey. Even though it is not even 150 years old, it is built in the gothic style, which gives it a formidable, but attractive presence.
Unlike most English cathedrals, it is free to enter Christchurch cathedral, and there is only a small fee to climb the tower. I remember it being about 350-steps, so it is not too challenging, and even though the stairwell is snug to pass people climbing in the opposite direction it isn't too clostrophobic. It's all worth it anyway for the magnificent 360 degree view from the top, not only of the busy square, but over the roof tops to the Botanical Gardens, and the city suburbs.
The main body of the cathedral has a welcoming, alive atmosphere, and not the musty, hush-hush feel of some churches. There are plenty of guides to answer your questions in a interesting and imformative manner, and it seems very much a well-loved, active place of worship rather than somewhere that is primarily a tourist trap. Highlights include the ornate high altar, some lovely tile murals and traditional Maori weavings, a larged carved wooden lecturn in the shape of an eagle, the beflagged chapel of St. Michael and St. George which is devoted to the armed services, and the beautiful, colourful rose window. I was there a couple of weeks after the tsunami, and there was a very thoughtful display offering support and good wishes, as well as an interesting display on the history of the building of the cathedral.
There is a reasonbly large shop at the entrance / exit, which has a good stock of religious literature, souvenirs, prints and postcards, and a cafe.
The cathedral is nextdoor to the large tourist information centre, and near duty free shops and the Canterbury museum, and other points of intest, so makes a great stop off on a walking tour. There is a good bistro / bar to the left side of the cathedral, which serves tasty burgers, steaks and lamb-dishes, where you can sit in the sun, watch the trams pass by and appreciate the external architecture and beautifully coloured stonework of Christchurch cathedral.
