The Cathedral by Lexi

Christchurch had its humble beginnings as a moa hunting ground for the Māori people. Quite soon, however, the prehistoric bird became hunted out of existence and the Māori people turned to using this area for food gathering and trading. In 1815 the first Europeans arrived on land and the Māori population started to fall due to fighting amongst tribes and foreign disease. The first Europeans began preparing the area for settlement during the 1840s  and in 1848 the Canterbury Association was formed, headed by a man by the name of John Robert Godley. Godley decided to name the capital city Christchurch, after the name of the college he attended at Oxford University. 

With the influx of the first settlers in the 1850s came the advent of schools, stores, and churches. The most notable church in the region would become known as the Christchurch Cathedral. Reverend Henry John Chitty Harper, made a bishop in 1856 by the Archbishop of Canterbury, proposed the idea for the cathedral. The Christchurch Cathedral is in the heart of Christchurch and the magnificent building has been the pride of Christchurch inhabitants for many years. It took ten years to start building the cathedral after plans were first proposed by Bishop Harper, but construction was halted soon after. The residents felt as if the cathedral was not important enough to spend a large amount of money on. Building did not resume until eight years later, in 1873, and the cathedral was not completed until 1904. 

Unfortunately, the Christchurch Cathedral has had a history of suffering damage from earthquakes. In 1881, 1888 and 1901 earthquakes had damaged the spire of the cathedral. In September and December of 2010 there was minor damage done to the building. However, a major earthquake in February 2011 destroyed most of the cathedral. A decision was made to partially demolish the rest of the building and a deconsecration ceremony was held in November 2011. 

It was not until September 2017 that the public and various leaders decided to restore the great cathedral. Restoration has been slow and, as you can see, the Christchurch Cathedral still has a long journey back to splendor.

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