Church Hill

Church Hill is rich in the history of Nelson. The Maori name for the hill is Pikimai (climb up here) and had been the site of a pa. Newly-arrived immigrants were housed there, as was the Post Office, the New Zealand Company's storerooms and barracks, the Examiner offices, the courthouse, and the hospital tent. The grounds include part of the original ramparts of Fort Arthur, built by the early settlers after the Wairau Affray in 1843. The present cathedral is the third church building on the site and was completed in 1965. Open for public viewing.