St Paul's Church, Christchurch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Paul's Church |
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| St Paul's Trinity Pacific Presbyterian Church | |
St Paul's Church in 2007, prior to its demolition
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| 43°32′0.2″S 172°38′34.6″E / 43.533389°S 172.642944°E | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Previous denomination | Presbyterian |
| History | |
| Status | Church (former) |
| Founded | 1864 |
| Events | 2011 Christchurch earthquake |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Abandoned and demolished |
| Architect(s) | Samuel Farr |
| Architectural type | Church (former) |
| Completed | 1877 |
| Closed | February 2011 |
| Demolished | 2011 |
St Paul's Church was a special old building in Christchurch, New Zealand. It was a Presbyterian church located on Cashel Street. Built in 1877, it was considered a very important historical building. Sadly, after a big earthquake in 2011, the church was badly damaged and had to be taken down.
Contents
History of St Paul's Church
Building the Church
St Paul's Church was built in 1877. It stood at the corner of Cashel and Madras Streets in the Christchurch Central City. This new church replaced an older one nearby. Both church buildings were designed by a famous architect named Samuel Farr. The new church was asked for by Reverend John Elmslie.
Changes Over Time
In 1969, St Paul's Church joined with another church, the Trinity-Pacific Congregational Church. They formed a new church called St Paul's Trinity Pacific Presbyterian Church. This new church was led by Reverend Leonard Jones and Kenape Faletoese. It became a church for many different cultures. Over the years, more people of Samoan heritage joined the church. By 2011, most of the church members were from Samoan families.
Damage and Demolition
St Paul's Church faced some tough times. In 2009, a fire caused a lot of damage to the building. It was repaired, but then more trouble came. The church was damaged again in the 2010 Canterbury earthquake.
The worst damage happened in February 2011 during a major 2011 Christchurch earthquake. Parts of the church collapsed. Because it was so badly damaged, the church could not be saved. By June 2011, the historic St Paul's Church had to be taken down.
Heritage Status
What is a Heritage Listing?
A heritage listing means a building is very important historically or culturally. It's like being on a special list of protected places. St Paul's Church was put on this list by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust. It was given a "Category I" heritage status. This is the highest level, meaning it was considered extremely important.
When St Paul's Was Listed
St Paul's Church was added to the heritage list on April 2, 1985. Its special number was 305. However, after the severe earthquake in 2011, the church was too damaged to remain standing. Because of this, it was removed from the heritage register later that year.
