Cathedral Square is the cultural heart and civic soul of Christchurch. The square's importance is in large measure attached to the many buildings of historic significance that surround this important city space. While the city reopened the square with great fanfare after the devastating earthquake of 2011, it's working diligently to restore the magnificent Gothic Revival buildings around it.
Cathedral Square got its name from the great cathedral that stands watch over it. The land on which the square sits was set aside in 1851 and the surrounding area was slowly developed over the coming decades. Today this is considered the cultural precinct where twenty-three historic buildings stand nearby, all in the Gothic Revival style. These sites include the cathedral itself, museums, as well as the Arts Centre which was the former University of Canterbury.
Today the square acts mostly as a place for social gatherings for street performances, public markets, art fairs and is a popular tourist attraction. The square sits in the centre of the city and there are convenient public transport links to the area.
