Christchurch - Provincial Council Buildings (closed)

The neo-Gothic Provincial Council Buildings (by Benjamin Mountfort, 1859-65) to the northeast of the cathedral, beyond the little Avon River, are among the finest buildings in the city. There was originally a wooden building centerd on a courtyard, a stone extension and tower being added later. The showpiece of the current buildings is the ornate neo-Gothic Council Chamber, with wall mosaics, stained-glass windows, massive and richly decorated barrel vaults and galleries for spectators and the press (completed in 1965). In 1924 an annex was built in Armagh Street.

The Provincial Council Buildings remain closed after significant damage from the earthquake on February 22, 2011.