Colombo st through time

Christchurch 1916–2024 27 photos of this spot

27 photographs taken at the same spot in Christchurch, spanning 1916–2024 — 1 of them from before 1980. Line them up and watch the place change.

Colombo Street in Christchurch, New Zealand, one of the city's principal thoroughfares, photographed in 1916 with the storefronts and traffic typical of the South Island city during that era.

Colombo st 1916 Colombo Street in Christchurch, New Zealand, one of the city's principal thoroughfares, photographed in 1916 with the storefronts and traffic typical of the South Island city during that era.

Christchurch Cathedral 2002 ChristChurch Cathedral in Cathedral Square, Christchurch, New Zealand, is pictured in 2002, nearly a decade before it was severely damaged in the 2011 earthquake. Built in the Gothic Revival style, the Anglican cathedral was completed in 1904.

Christchurch Cathedral before earthquake 2004 ChristChurch Cathedral in Cathedral Square is pictured in 2004, seven years before it was severely damaged in the February 2011 earthquake. The Gothic Revival cathedral, completed in 1904, had stood as a landmark of the city for more than a century.

The view looking northeast from Christchurch Cathedral Tower 2007 The view northeast from the tower of Christchurch Cathedral in New Zealand, overlooking the city's central business district. The Gothic Revival cathedral and its tower, seen here before the 2011 earthquake, anchored Cathedral Square for over a century.

Cathedral Square market, Christchurch, NZ 2007 A market held in Cathedral Square, the historic civic heart of Christchurch, New Zealand, in front of the city's Gothic Revival cathedral. The square has long served as a gathering place and public market site in the city center.

Christ Church Cathedral, Christchurch, NZ 2007 Christ Church Cathedral in Christchurch, New Zealand, photographed in the years before the 2011 earthquake caused major structural damage. The Gothic Revival cathedral, completed in the late 19th century, gave the city its name and long stood at the center of Cathedral Square.

Christchurch New Zealand, City Church 2007 City Church in Christchurch, New Zealand, photographed some years before the 2011 earthquake reshaped much of the city's central built heritage. Christchurch's churches were long a defining feature of its Gothic Revival streetscape.

Christchurch Cathedral side 2008 A side view of Christchurch Cathedral, New Zealand, captured in 2008, showing the stone Gothic Revival structure that anchored Cathedral Square in the city center.

The Restaurant Tram 2008 Christchurch's heritage tram network includes a dining service known as the Restaurant Tram, photographed here in 2008 as it traveled the city's central tramway loop. Passengers could eat a meal while touring some of the city's historic streets.

00 1751 Christchurch NZ - ursprüngliche Kathedrale 2009 ChristChurch Cathedral in central Christchurch, New Zealand, photographed in 2009. Completed in 1904 in the Gothic Revival style, the cathedral would be severely damaged in the 2011 earthquake, just two years after this photograph was taken.

00 1754 Christchurch (NZ) - Cathedral Square 2009 Cathedral Square in Christchurch, New Zealand, photographed in 2009. The square formed the historic heart of the city, centered on ChristChurch Cathedral, before the 2011 earthquake caused extensive damage to the area.

Statue of John Robert Godley in Christchurch 2010 The statue of John Robert Godley stands in Cathedral Square, Christchurch, commemorating the founder of the Canterbury settlement. This 2010 view captures the monument in its historic city-centre setting.

Cathedral Square in Christchurch 2010 A building on Cathedral Square in Christchurch, New Zealand, photographed in 2010. The square was the historic civic heart of the city before the 2011 earthquake.

Christchurch Cathedral and Statue of John Robert Godley 2010 Christchurch Cathedral rises behind the statue of John Robert Godley in this 2010 photograph of Cathedral Square, the city's former civic centre. Godley is remembered as the founder of the Canterbury settlement.

Cathedral Square and Statue of John Robert Godley in Christchurch 2010 Another view of Cathedral Square in Christchurch, showing the statue of John Robert Godley with the cathedral beyond, photographed in 2010 before the square was transformed by the following year's earthquake.

Christchurch Cathedral and Statue of John Robert Godley 2010 The statue of John Robert Godley and Christchurch Cathedral, photographed together in Cathedral Square in 2010, in the years before the square's earthquake-driven transformation.

Container protection wall 2013 A protective wall built from shipping containers in Christchurch, New Zealand, photographed in 2013. Containers were widely used across the city centre in the years after the 2011 earthquake to shore up damaged buildings and secure demolition sites.

Reading About Our City 2013 A public information display about the rebuilding of Christchurch, New Zealand, photographed in 2013, part of the wider effort to keep residents informed as the city centre recovered from the 2011 earthquake.

NZ Christchurch 2014 Christchurch, the largest city on New Zealand's South Island, was in the midst of extensive post-earthquake rebuilding when this photograph was taken in 2014.

Art, Trees and Shipping Containers 2014 A street scene in Christchurch combining public art, trees and shipping containers, photographed in 2014, when repurposed containers were being widely used for temporary retail and public spaces during the city's post-earthquake reconstruction.

Tram 11 'The Boxcar' Christchurch 2016 A heritage tram nicknamed 'The Boxcar', numbered 11, runs on Christchurch's restored tourist tram line in New Zealand, photographed in 2016.

15 Cathedral Square in Christchurch 01 2017 Cathedral Square in Christchurch, New Zealand, photographed in 2017. The square is the historic heart of the city, centered on the ChristChurch Cathedral, which was heavily damaged in the 2011 earthquake.

BNZ Square 102 2017 BNZ Square in Christchurch, New Zealand, photographed in 2017 as the city continued rebuilding its central business district following the 2011 earthquake.

Cathedral Square, Christchurch 2 2019 Cathedral Square in Christchurch, New Zealand, remained a focal point of the city's rebuilding effort in the years after the 2011 earthquake. This photograph was taken in 2019.

90A Hereford Street, Christchurch, New Zealand 2019 This 2019 photograph shows a building at 90A Hereford Street in central Christchurch, part of a streetscape reshaped by the city's post-earthquake reconstruction.

Christ Church Cathedral Restoration 2021 ChristChurch Cathedral in Christchurch, New Zealand, is shown mid-restoration in this February 2021 photograph. The cathedral was badly damaged in the 2011 Canterbury earthquake and has undergone a lengthy rebuilding process since.

Christ Church Cathedral 2024 mothballed south entrance 2024 Christ Church Cathedral in Christchurch, New Zealand, was severely damaged in the 2011 earthquake and stood partially mothballed for years afterward as restoration plans were worked out; this photograph of its south entrance is from 2024.