Christchurch: rebirth after the earthquake

Cathedral Square, historic heart of the city, still houses the Anglican Cathedral damaged by the 2011 earthquake, undergoing a restoration that continues to this day after years of debate between faithful reconstruction and demolition.

The Re:START Mall, the city's first experiment with a temporary shopping center made of stacked colorful containers, soon became a symbol of the city's capacity to recover after the earthquake.

The Botanical Gardens, more than twenty hectares along the Avon River in the city center, hold collections of roses and native ferns that remained intact despite damage to surrounding buildings.

The International Antarctic Centre, adjacent to the airport, recreates the climatic conditions of the Antarctic continent and houses injured penguins rescued from the New Zealand research station in Antarctica.

The Re:START Mall, born as a temporary container solution, lasted far longer than anyone had anticipated, becoming part of the city's post-earthquake memory as much as the cathedral still under restoration.

The Botanical Gardens, which survived the quake almost unscathed, remain the point where Christchurch seems most like itself before 2011.