Fodor's Expert Review Provincial Council Chambers

This impressive complex of Gothic Revival stone and wooden buildings beside the Avon River was once the seat of Canterbury's government, which ran from 1853 to 1876. The Provincial Council Chambers were significantly damaged in the 2010–11 earthquakes, and will undergo major restoration work. They are the only surviving purpose-built Provincial Council chambers in the country and were some of the earliest buildings to be protected by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust. A large Victorian clock intended for the tower proved too big and normally stands a few blocks away, at the intersection of Victoria, Salisbury, and Montreal streets. For several years it was stopped at 12:51 pm (the time of the February 2011 earthquake) but has now been fully restored to working order.