Christ Church Cathedral

The Anglican Cathedral in Christchurch, an iconic heritage building located in the heart of Christchurch’s Cathedral Square, was severely damaged by earthquakes in 2010 and 2011.

The Christ Church Cathedral Reinstatement Project Team is reinstating the Cathedral using a combination of repair, restoration, reconstruction/rebuild and seismic strengthening.

The 19th century Cathedral will be transformed for the next century. It will look similar, with its important heritage features retained. It will be safer, more functional, more flexible and more comfortable. It will be better equipped for future worship and civic events.

It will be a place where all can gather and be at home, hosting friends, strangers, neighbours, tourists and visitors to our city. As the Cathedral comes back to life, it will become a symbol of hope and confidence restored.

The project will take between 7 and 10 years.

In the heart of our city there is no place like it

A spiritual and sacred place for worshipping and celebrating; for listening and debating; for laughter and tears.
An unconditionally welcoming place for people of all faiths and none.
An iconic place for Christchurch, Canterbury and New Zealand.
A historic place for memories, stories, heritage and taonga.
A civic place for the events that shaped us as a city.
A popular place where 700,000 people visited each year before the earthquakes.
An important place for a thriving central city.

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A symbol of resilience

"It is my dearest wish that the Cathedral may once more become a proud symbol of this city and of the remarkable resilience of this community. I can only say how proud I am to be joining you all on this journey and how much I look forward to the day (if I’m still alive by then) when the Cathedral bells ring out once more and welcome home the first bar-tailed godwits of spring. "

His Royal Highness

The Prince of Wales

A New Zealand heritage treasure

"The government supports the Christ Church Cathedral Reinstatement Project. It is one of New Zealand’s most significant heritage treasures. Perhaps more importantly, it is a significant people-place, and its absence has been keenly felt. The project is returning an important spiritual, civic and tourist icon, better than ever, to its home right in the heart of Christchurch."

Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern

Prime Minister of New Zealand and Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage

Exciting changes

"I look forward to us worshipping God in this great reinstated Cathedral, and to seeing it welcome visitors to the centre of our city. It is an immensely important building and it is wonderful that we are unified on the pathway to its reinstatement."

The Rt Rev'd Dr Peter Carrell

Bishop of Christchurch

Thriving Place

"I am excited that the Cathedral will once again be a thriving place of Christian worship, where everyone can gather and be at home.
It will be a place where strangers and neighbours, friends and foreigners can come together, and where all can experience the love, peace, and presence of God."

Dean Lawrence Kimberley

Heart and Soul

"Christ Church Cathedral is literally the heart and soul of our city. Its reinstatement will breathe new life into Cathedral Square, both preserving an important part of our heritage as a city and enabling investment in the area to proceed with certainty."

Mayor Lianne Dalziel

Mayor of Christchurch