Lots of charm by TheWanderingCamel
Christchurch is full of architectural gems - small ones admittedly, you won't find any of the "Great Buildings of the World" here, but what you will find is a harmonious collection of mostly Victorian buildings, built from local materials and in sympathy with each other and the community at large. There's lots of grey stone neo-Gothic - the Arts Centre, Cathedral, Provincial Council Buildings, Canterbury Museum, Victoria Street Clock Tower, Christ's College are all good examples, but some attractive red brick can be found too, often finished with white quoins and ornamentation of varying degrees of elaborateness - the old Central Post Office and The Press buildings on Cathedral Square and the former Municipal Chambers by the Worcester Street Bridge are particularly notable. Smaller in scale but favourites of mine are The Antigua Street Boatsheds, which make a very pretty picture with their striped paintwork and colourful boats nestling under the willows by the river, and the cute llittle (wee in Kiwi-speak) Shands Emporium in Hereford Street - a tiny little green wooden building that has been doing business here since 1860.
Looking up brings rewards too - there are some lovely towers to be seen atop some of the city's buildings, as well as coats of arms and other features.
Good modern buildings are harder to find though the new art Gallery's a stunning addition to the city.
