ChristChurch Cathedral: destroyed by a 2011 earthquake, fought over for years, still being rebuilt
A Christchurch, in Nuova Zelanda, la cattedrale anglicana fu progettata dall’architetto inglese George Gilbert Scott, la sua unica opera neozelandese, con la posa della prima pietra il 16 dicembre 1864; i lavori, interrotti più volte per mancanza di fondi e proseguiti sotto la supervisione dell’architetto locale Benjamin Woolfield Mountfort, videro la consacrazione di navata, torre e guglia nel 1881, mentre coro e transetti, che completavano il progetto originario di Scott, furono terminati solo nel 1904. Già prima del 2011 la guglia aveva subito danni sismici: la sommità in pietra, alta 7,8 metri, crollò nel terremoto del 1888 e fu ricostruita in pietra entro il 1891, per poi perdere nuovamente 1,5 metri nel terremoto del 1901, dopo il quale fu ricostruita più bassa, in legno rivestito di rame anziché in pietra. Il terremoto di magnitudo 6,3 del 22 febbraio 2011 distrusse la guglia, lasciando in piedi solo la parte inferiore della torre, danneggiò il frontone occidentale e fece crollare parte del tetto della navata laterale nord, mentre un’ulteriore scossa il 13 giugno 2011 fece cadere il grande rosone della facciata ovest; la cattedrale fu sconsacrata il 9 novembre di quello stesso anno. Seguì una controversia pubblica e legale di anni tra la diocesi anglicana, inizialmente orientata a demolire l’edificio e sostituirlo con uno moderno, e il Great Christchurch Buildings Trust, che si oppose in tribunale fino a un ultimo appello respinto dalla Corte Suprema nel dicembre 2013; solo nel settembre 2017 il sinodo diocesano votò, con una maggioranza del 55%, a favore del restauro anziché della demolizione. Nel frattempo, dal 2013, la comunità si radunò nella cosiddetta “Cattedrale di cartone”, ufficialmente Transitional Cathedral, progettata gratuitamente dall’architetto giapponese Shigeru Ban con lo studio locale Warren and Mahoney, costruita con 98 tubi di cartone, legno e container. Il progetto di ricostruzione della cattedrale storica, il cui costo è salito fino a stime di circa 248 milioni di dollari neozelandesi, ha attraversato una crisi di finanziamento, con una pausa dei lavori segnalata attorno al 2024 dopo il ritiro del sostegno statale; secondo le fonti più recenti disponibili, a metà 2026 i lavori proseguono per fasi, con circa 90 milioni di dollari neozelandesi già spesi e ulteriori decine di milioni ancora da reperire, senza una data di completamento confermata.
About ChristChurch Cathedral
In Christchurch, New Zealand, the Anglican cathedral was designed by English architect George Gilbert Scott, his only New Zealand work, with the cornerstone laid on 16 December 1864; construction, repeatedly halted for lack of funds and continued under the supervision of local architect Benjamin Woolfield Mountfort, saw the nave, tower and spire consecrated in 1881, while the chancel and transepts, completing Scott’s original design, were not finished until 1904. Even before 2011, the spire had already suffered earthquake damage: its 7.8-metre stone top collapsed in the 1888 earthquake and was rebuilt in stone by 1891, then lost a further 1.5 metres in the 1901 earthquake, after which it was rebuilt shorter, in timber sheathed with copper rather than stone. The magnitude-6.3 earthquake of 22 February 2011 destroyed the spire, leaving only the lower tower standing, damaged the west gable, and collapsed part of the north aisle roof, while a further quake on 13 June 2011 brought down the west front’s large rose window; the cathedral was deconsecrated on 9 November that year. Years of public and legal dispute followed between the Anglican Diocese, initially inclined to demolish the building and replace it with a modern design, and the Great Christchurch Buildings Trust, which opposed this in court through to a final appeal rejected by the Supreme Court in December 2013; only in September 2017 did the diocesan synod vote, by a 55 percent majority, in favour of reinstatement over demolition. In the meantime, from 2013, the congregation gathered in the so-called “Cardboard Cathedral,” officially the Transitional Cathedral, designed pro bono by Japanese architect Shigeru Ban with local firm Warren and Mahoney, built from 98 cardboard tubes, timber and shipping containers. The historic cathedral’s reinstatement project, its cost having risen to estimates around NZ$248 million, has gone through a funding crisis, with work reportedly paused around 2024 after government support was withdrawn; according to the most recent available sources, as of mid-2026 work continues in stages, with roughly NZ$90 million already spent and tens of millions more still being sought, with no confirmed completion date.
Key facts
- 1864-1904: built in stages to a design by George Gilbert Scott, his only New Zealand work
- 1888 and 1901: earlier earthquakes already damaged and shortened the spire before 2011
- 22 February 2011: the spire destroyed and severe structural damage caused by the Christchurch earthquake
- 2013-2017: a legal and public dispute over demolition versus restoration, resolved in favour of restoration
- 2013: the “Cardboard Cathedral,” designed by Shigeru Ban, opens as a temporary pro-cathedral
- Restoration ongoing as of 2026, with no confirmed completion date
History
ChristChurch Cathedral’s history is one of repeated seismic damage and rebuilding stretching back to the 19th century, long before the 2011 earthquake made global headlines — a pattern of loss and reconstruction that has shaped the building since its spire first fell in 1888. The years-long legal fight over its fate after 2011, resolved only in 2017 in favour of restoration, and the funding difficulties that have followed since, illustrate how contested and costly heritage reconstruction can become even after a clear decision has been made.
What you see
Gothic Revival stonework by George Gilbert Scott rises around a tower and partially rebuilt spire, the visible scaffolding and staged construction work reflecting a restoration project still underway more than a decade after the 2011 earthquake. Nearby, Shigeru Ban’s cardboard-tube Transitional Cathedral remains a striking architectural counterpoint, born of the same disaster.
Practical information
- Opening hours: access is limited during ongoing restoration work; check the cathedral’s official reinstatement project site for current visiting arrangements
- Address: Cathedral Square, Christchurch, New Zealand
Getting there
The cathedral stands in Cathedral Square at the heart of central Christchurch, easily reached on foot or by public transport. GPS: 43°31′52″S, 172°38′13″E.
Nearby
- Cardboard Cathedral (Transitional Cathedral) — Shigeru Ban’s temporary pro-cathedral
- Cathedral Square — the historic central square of Christchurch
Sources
- Wikipedia — “Christ Church Cathedral, Christchurch” (en.wikipedia.org)
- Christ Church Cathedral Reinstatement Project — official site (christchurchcathedral.org.nz)
- RNZ (Radio New Zealand) — news coverage of the reinstatement and funding
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