Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial, Christchurch (2024) - Images, Timings

Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial, Christchurch Overview

The Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial is located on Montreal Street, Christchurch. It is a tribute to the victims of the 2011 earthquakes that rocked the city. Even before the actual National Memorial was built, 185 empty white chairs were released as an unofficial memorial service by a local artist called Peter Majendie in February 2012, on the day of the earthquake’s first memorial.

Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial, Overview

The Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial was opened on the sixth day of remembrance of the devastating earthquake, that is, 22 February 2017. The memorial is located on both sides of the Avon river. Erected on the south bank stands a 111-meter long memorial wall area that carries the names of the 185 individuals who died in the earthquake. A reflective space can be found on the north bank of the river and is connected to the Montreal Street bridge. Benches dot the north bank which allows you to sit and look upon the memorial wall. The Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial is one of the only two memorials built in New Zealand to pay respect to the ones who lost their lives in the disaster. It has become a major tourist attraction in Christchurch. The other one is Tangiwai National Memorial which is located at Karori Cemetery in Wellington.

History

The Port Hills in Christchurch was struck by a 6.3 magnitude earthquake on 22 February 2011. 185 people were killed in the earthquake and many more were injured. The earthquake also caused an aftershock impact that affected a further 11,000 people. It also caused massive physical and infrastructural damage to about 25,000 houses and many buildings in the city, eventually leading to their demolition. The Canterbury Television building (CTV) was completely destroyed in the earthquake leading to its lift shaft standing which later caught fire. 115 people in the building died due to this fire which included a TV station, a medical clinic, and an English school.
Lack of power and water facilities forced the authorities and the people of the city to harvest and collect rainwater.

Design Competition

Creating a place to remember for the ones who lost their lives in the earthquake had to be special and memorable. CERA (Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority) held a competition for designers from all over the world. The winner of the competition would be the one to design the memorial. The objectives of building such a memorial had to be kept in mind while designing it, which showcased 185 victims of the earthquake, being thankful to the many organizations around the country that helped in the rescue and recovery after the disaster, acknowledging the experiences of the disastrous events and its effects, portraying the loss of treasured heritage buildings in the city and its familiar neighbourhood and providing a space for formal civic events that are to take place within the vicinity of the memorial. This competition received a total of 330 responses from 37 different countries across the globe. The competition was won by a Slovenian architect called Grega Vezjak.

How To Reach Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial

Located within the city limits of Christchurch, in the corner of Oxford Terrace and Montreal Street, the memorial is a walkable distance from the city centre. The airport from the heart of the city is about 15 to 20 mins. One can also travel by bus like bus number 29 and The Purple line and then get down in the city centre. One way ticket costs around 8.50 NZD. Both these buses depart from the northern end of the International Arrivals Hall.