University House, Auckland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids University House, Auckland |
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The Princes Street frontage of the building in 2009
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| General information | |
| Architectural style | Moorish Revival architecture |
| Location | 19A Princes Street |
| Town or city | Auckland |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Coordinates | 36°50′56″S 174°46′09″E / 36.848773°S 174.769244°E |
| Completed | 1885 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Edward Bartley |
| Designated: | 27 June 1985 |
| Reference #: | 578 |
University House is an old building in Auckland, New Zealand. It was built in the 1800s. At first, it was a synagogue, which is a special place of worship for Jewish people. Today, it's part of the University of Auckland and is located next to Albert Park on Princes Street.
Building's Past
A Jewish community has lived in Auckland since the city was founded in 1840. This synagogue building was designed by Edward Bartley. He built it between 1884 and 1885. The building mixes two styles: Moorish and classical.
The first stone was laid by David Nathan. He was an early Jewish settler. He also started the L.D. Nathan chain of stores. The synagogue officially opened on November 9, 1885. It was big enough to seat 375 people. The building was constructed where an old military guardhouse used to be. This guardhouse was part of the Albert Barracks.
Changes Over Time
In 1967, the Jewish community moved to a larger synagogue. Their new building was on Greys Avenue. Because they moved, the Princes Street synagogue was no longer used for worship. This happened in 1969.
The building then became part of the Albert Park Reserve. It was owned by the Auckland City Council. For about 20 years, the building was empty and started to fall apart. But in 1989, it was carefully fixed up. Salmond Reed Architects led this restoration work. After being restored, it became a branch of the National Bank.
Since 2003, the University of Auckland has leased the building. It now holds the University's Alumni Relations and Development department. This department used to be called External Relations.
The building is very important for New Zealand's history. It has a Category I listing with Heritage New Zealand. This means it is a place of special historical value.
