Pompallier House, Heritage building in Russell, New Zealand.
Pompallier House is a colonial building in Russell constructed using rammed earth techniques. The structure contains spaces for printing operations, living quarters, and storage areas that together formed an early mission station.
The building was established in the mid-1800s as the center of a French Catholic mission. It produced thousands of books and documents in Māori language before its operations eventually ceased.
The building served as a printing center for Māori language materials that reached local communities. Visitors can see how the rooms were organized to support this work and what daily life looked like for those involved.
The building is open daily to visitors and offers guided tours throughout the day. It sits in the town center of Russell and staff members are available to answer questions about what you are seeing.
The building is one of the oldest structures in New Zealand and used a rare construction method of compressed earth. This technique is seldom seen in this region today.
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