Chief Post Office, Christchurch
Chief Post Office, Christchurch, Category 1 historic post office in Cathedral Square, Christchurch, New Zealand
The Chief Post Office features Italianate architecture with classical columns, grand stone facades, and a prominent clock tower at the center of Cathedral Square.
William Henry Clayton, New Zealand's first Colonial Architect, designed this government building which opened in 1879 after two years of construction.
The structure served as a central communication hub, housing New Zealand's first telephone exchange in 1881 alongside postal services and government departments.
The building underwent major repairs following the 2010-2011 earthquakes and is being transformed into a hospitality complex called The Grand.
A turret clock, modeled after London's Great Clock of Westminster, sits in the tower but required conversion from mechanical to electric systems.
Location: Christchurch City
Inception: 1878
Architects: William Henry Clayton
GPS coordinates: -43.53160,172.63600
Latest update: March 3, 2025 18:21
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