Cardboard Cathedral

Cardboard Cathedral

Cardboard Cathedral
4.5
Points of Interest & LandmarksChurches & Cathedrals
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Duration: < 1 hour
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What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles2,279 reviews
Excellent
1,138
Very good
804
Average
270
Poor
37
Terrible
30

redjasper
168 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Solo
It's amazing how one person can spoil a place. The lady (in charge?) was warning her fellow staff to keep an eye on tourists, especially German ones who recently took photos without paying the required $5 permission to take photographs fee. While saying this she blocked me from seeing into the cathedral with her arm and then closed the doors to a small gap so the inside of the main hall could not be seen. Feeling immediately unwelcome, I walked out of the venue whilst experiencing neither what the architect nor those who built and made this place possible intended.

It should be a place of reflection for Christchurch and all that the population has experienced, not a tourist trap with an overpriced and inappropriatly stocked gift shop.

If you would like donations then kindly ask, please don't condemn me or my camera!
Written February 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Kerry H
Christchurch, New Zealand116 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
I thought it would be a good idea to take the family to the New Christchurch Cathedral while we were in town so they could see what had been created in place of the wonderful old Cathedral after the tragic earthquake damage. It looked quite nice from outside so we decided to see what it looked like from the inside. We were stopped at the door and told that we cannot enter unless we intend on Paying to enter. Now Ive been to a lot of church's in a lot of different country's but this is a first for me. It wasn't a large amount that they asked $5 per person, But I had never come across this before. Needless to say that was the end of our visit. I thought maybe it was just me that had it wrong so we stayed for a bit and watched other people all having the same reaction. Its a sad day if this is the new way.
Written January 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

p4sta
London, UK162 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Couples
It was easy to walk away when the your was mentioned costing $5 pp. But we took it and it was fascinating and worth every cent. It was not long but great to hear about the Cathedral , construction, Christchurch post quakes and this cathedral leads in sustainability. Buy the tour tickets from the desk in the shop. Do it - well worth the time.
Written February 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

brisbane07
Brisbane, Australia68 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
The day I went, the place was buzzing. Good in one way - lots of visitors curious about the building and asking questions of the many volunteers, but not so good if you are seeking solitude and prayer. Perhaps people could be made aware that it is still a place of worship? Cathedral is not exactly built of 'cardboard' - internal beams are wrapped in it, stained glass (copy laminated) windows (gorgeous) are stunning. Still has lovely atmosphere and good to see the people visiting. Photos inside are OK. Just a couple of blocks walk from the original square. Shop at entrance, funds raised for re-building of original cathedral.
Written January 16, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

David Coleman
Daventry, UK22 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
We had read about this and so went along and so glad we did its truly inspirational. Go for the 5 dollar tour so as to contribute plus learn a lot about the background to its creation, conditions and uses. Its actually a beautiful place and as we are both engineers the construction is fascinating too. Just shows that in the midst of tragedy (a lot of people died in the old cathedral when the big quake hit including 22 Japanese students) good things can happen in how people respond to that. Its only a short visit but recommend you do
Written January 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Michael T
Formby, UK1,130 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Couples
The transitional church is quite inspirational. The roof is supported by wooden gables but these are hidden within cardboard tubes. The cross on the end wall is simply two cardboard tubes. The rooms either side of the main area of worship are converted shipping containers. The coloured windows are printed with images taken from photographs of the original stained glass windows which were destroyed in the 2011 quakes.
Written February 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

DADD23
Wellington, New Zealand106 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2021
My wife and I visited the Cathedral just on 'closing time'. The attendant, however, was only too pleased to stay a while longer (and to admit another group after us) and this gave a very good impression before even going fully inside. A 'traditionalist' might not be entirely comfortable with the comparatively stark nature of the building, but it is light, functional and very much 'fit for purpose'. It is also a flexible space, as we went past one evening and saw that the seats had been moved to make space for some form of music practice. Well worth a visit, if for no other reason than to commend the church authorities for having the courage to establish this building.
Written April 21, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Christine F
Raymond Terrace, Australia34 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020
Do yourself a favour and go and visit this quaint little church. It is beautiful in it's own way for it's unique architecture, made of cardboard, the handmade chairs, cardboard pulpit and the beautiful red cloth on the alter. It is free to enter, though they do ask for a donation to keep it maintained. There is a small shop within it to buy souvenirs, postcards etc and information about the construction of the Church, why it was built and also information about Christchurch and the 185 white chairs nearby. This Church is an oasis of peace.
Written March 21, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Shirley W
Guildford84 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020 • Couples
This has become an iconic building in Christchurch following the major earthquake of 2011. The cathedral can be visited and there are volunteers on hand to explain how the building came to be. It is an ingenious construction and a lot of it really is made of cardboard!
All over Christchurch there are examples of the ingenuity of New Zealanders ; buildings are being propped up everywhere and temporary structures such as the Cardboard Cathedral are utilising materials which would not normally feature in public buildings.
Make time to visit this unique building. It is amazing.
Written April 1, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

pd7
Weymouth, UK544 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
Lovely people are waiting to meet & talk to you at this 'temporary' cathedral just a few minutes' walk from the centre of Chch. It has such a positive atmosphere that even though my partner & I are not religious we felt it. Nearby is an amazing sculpture (for want of a better description) in the park - an optical illusion and a feat of engineering too. Well worth looking out for.
Written February 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Cardboard Cathedral, Christchurch

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