St John the Baptist Church, Christchurch

St John the Baptist Church was a stone Anglican church building located on Hereford Street in Christchurch with architectural features typical of 19th-century ecclesiastical design. The structure displayed classical proportions and elements characteristic of churches built during that era.

Benjamin Mountfort and Maxwell Bury designed the building, which opened in 1864 and was consecrated in 1865. The structure served the community for over 100 years until it was destroyed by a major earthquake in 2011.

The church served as a place where the local Anglican community gathered for worship and shared significant moments of their lives. Families marked important occasions within its walls across many generations.

The original site is no longer accessible as the building was completely demolished after the earthquake. A replacement structure now stands in its place and can be visited in the Latimer Square area.

After the destruction, a remarkable temporary building made of cardboard was erected on the site, designed by Japanese architect Shigeru Ban. This interim cathedral became an internationally recognized symbol of the city's recovery and creative resilience.