The Westpac Arena is New Zealand's second largest permanent multipurpose arena, seating between 5000 and 8000, depending on configuration. It is home of the Canterbury Rams basketball team, and Canterbury Tactix netball side. It was the venue for the 1999 World Netball championships and has been host to many concerts in recent years.
The Christchurch Town Hall Auditorium (2500 seats, opened 1972) was the first major auditorium design by architects Warren and Mahoney and acousticians Marshall Day. It is still recognised as a model example of concert-hall design. It has an excellent modern pipe organ.
Christchurch also has a Casino, and there are also a wide range of live music venues– some short-lived, others with decades of history. Classical music concerts are held at the Music Centre, Christchurch, New Zealand.
South Island (maorys. Te Wai Pounamu or Tavai Poenammoo ie "waters of emeralds", sometimes also These waka and Maui, Maui Lodz ") - one of the islands of New Zealand with an area of 150 523 square km. It is situated between the Tasman Sea and Ocean peaceful. From Northern Islands separated Enge Cook.
It is undulating island - are the main ridge of the Southern Alps peaks of Mount Cook 3 764 m above sea level and Mount Tasman 3 497 m above sea-level
The length of the coastline is 3 704 km.
Christchurch is served by Christchurch International Airport and by buses (local and long-distance) and trains. The local bus service, known as Metro, is provided by Environment Canterbury. The car, however, remains the dominant form of transport. The central city has very flat terrain and the City Council are establishing a network of cycle lanes on roads.
There is a functioning tram service in Christchurch, but as a tourist attraction, its loop is restricted to a circuit of the central city. The trams were originally introduced in 1905, ceased operating in 1954, [17] but returned to the inner city (as a tourist attraction) in 1995. In addition to nomal bus services, Christchurch so has a zero-fare Pioneering hybrid bus service, the shuttle in the inner city.
At the centre of the city is Cathedral Square, surrounding the Anglican cathedral, Christ Church. The area around this square and within the four avenues of Christchurch (Bealey Avenue, Fitzgerald Avenue, Moorhouse Avenue and Deans Avenue) is considered the CBD of the city. The central city also has a number of residential areas, including Inner City East, Inner City West, Avon Loop, Moa & Victoria.
Cathedral Square is a popular destination and hosts attractions such as the speakers' corner made famous by the Wizard of New Zealand, Ian Brackenbury Channell. The central city includes the pedestrianised Cashel Street as Christchurch's urban mall. At one end of the mall stands the Bridge Of Remembrance; at the other end the amphitheatre known as the Hack Circle.
Christchurch lies in Canterbury, near the centre of the east coast of the South Island, east of the Canterbury Plains. It is located near the southern end of Pegasus Bay, and is bounded to the east by the Pacific Ocean coast and the estuary of the Avon as well as the Heathcote River. To the south and south-east the urban portion of the city is limited by the volcanic slopes of the Port Hills separating it from the Banks Peninsula. As of 2006, the Banks Peninsula was incorporated into the city, in effect tripling the city's land area while adding only about 8,000 people to the city's population. To the north the city is bounded by the braided Waimakariri River.
Christchurch is the regional capital of Canterbury, New Zealand. The largest city in the South Island, it is also the second largest city and third largest urban area of New Zealand. A coastal city, the urban area is situated just north of Banks Peninsula, midway down the South Island's east coast, but (since 2006) the city limits encompass the peninsula.
The city was named by the Canterbury Association, which settled the surrounding province of Canterbury. The name of Christchurch was agreed on at the first meeting of the association on 27 March 1848. It was suggested by J.R. Godley, who had attended Christ Church, Oxford. Some early writers called the town "Christ Church", but it was recorded as "Christchurch" in the minutes of the management committee of the association.
