The Auckland Town Hall occupies a triangular wedge of land where Queen Street bends. Designed by Melbourne architects J. J. and E. J. Clark and opened in nineteen eleven, the building features a high clock tower and an exterior of pale…
Historic Queen Street Architecture
Walk Queen Street to see its transformation from a muddy creek bed to Auckland's premier commercial spine, highlighting the stunning historic facades hiding above modern storefronts.
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1. Auckland Town Hall
2. The Civic
The Civic is marked by a deep, ornate entrance that transports you into an exotic, Moorish-inspired world of twisted columns and domed ceilings. Opened in nineteen twenty-nine, this grand building is one of the few remaining atmospheric…
3. Strand Arcade
The Strand Arcade is an ornate, four-story brick building that functions as a pedestrian thoroughfare between Queen Street and Elliott Street. It is identified by its Italianate facade, which features bay windows and a distinctive…
4. Vulcan Lane
Vulcan Lane is a narrow, pedestrian-only thoroughfare that cuts between Queen Street and High Street. It first appeared in city plans in eighteen forty-one as a muddy service alley, though it soon took its name from a blacksmith shop, the…
5. The Guardian Building
The Guardian Building is marked by a facade of Tākaka marble that rises above the lower Queen Street cityscape. Completed in nineteen eighteen, the structure originally functioned as the headquarters for the New Zealand Insurance Company.…
6. Queens Arcade
Queens Arcade spans the block between Queen and Customs Street, recognizable by its L-shaped interior that connects these two major thoroughfares. Completed in nineteen twenty-nine, the structure began as an amalgamation of older…
7. Dilworth Building
The Dilworth Building stands at the corner of Queen and Customs Streets, defined by a distinctive corner turret that rises above the intersection. Built between nineteen twenty-five and nineteen twenty-seven, this nine-story structure was…
8. Ferry Building
The Ferry Building stands at the end of Queen Street, a four-storey structure defined by its Edwardian Baroque facade and prominent clock tower. Built on reclaimed land between nineteen oh nine and nineteen twelve, the building was…