Old St Paul's

Old St Paul's is one of New Zealand's most important historic places, and is a magnificent example of timber Gothic Revival architecture.

The building was erected in 1866, the second Anglican church in Thorndon. It was built on land bought by Bishop Selwyn in Mulgrave Street in 1845, augmented with a Crown grant of Māori reserve from Governor Grey in 1853.

Constructed entirely from native timbers, the glowing interior is enhanced by stunning stained glass windows. Memorial items and displays tell the early history of Wellington.

No longer a parish church but still consecrated, Old St Paul's remains a place of spiritual significance to many and is living testimony to one of New Zealand's greatest heritage battles. It is a well-loved venue for weddings and other services, concerts, recitals and many other cultural events.

Guided tours are available by arrangement, and maybe customised to your requirements. We would be delighted to work with you to develop a programme suited to the ages and interests of your group. Also available is written information that takes you on a self-guided tour discovering the history, the chattels and the stained glass windows of Old St Paul’s translated into German, French, Japanese, Chinese and Spanish.

A new exhibition 'Read this Building' opened in July 2009. This multi-media exhibition tells the stories of the church, its site and people on a journey from colonial times until the present through twelve short videos, artefacts and informative panels.

Open daily from 9:30am - 5pm excluding Good Friday and Christmas Day