The Anglican cathedral at the heart of Christchurch's Cathedral Square, damaged in the 2010 and 2011 Canterbury earthquakes and still under reinstatement. It was first built in 1881, and the Canterbury Association planned it in 1848 as the centre of the city. We hear the work is being done in stages. The first stage will reinstate the nave, the tower and the western wall, including the Rose Window, and will seat 700 people. Construction is due to start again in 2026, and the website says the cathedral could open by the end of 2030. We also hear that NZ First announced funding for the rebuild on 3 May 2026. Once the first stage is finished, the hoardings on the west side can come down and the square can be revitalised.
Visitors describe the building as impressive, and say the site holds real cultural and historical importance. Walking around the square is still popular, with the artworks and the old survivor buildings alongside new ones. One visitor said the building still has supports and is still being worked on, and said the rebuild will take longer than they expected. Another said the square has changed a great deal since the earthquakes, but that it is still lovely to walk around.