Thorndon
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- See also Thorndon, Suffolk
| Suburb: | Thorndon |
| City: | Wellington |
| Island: | North Island |
| Surrounded by - to the north |
Wadestown |
Thorndon is an inner suburb of Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. It combines residential accommodation and the home of government, and is located at the northern end of the Central Business District.
Thorndon gave its name to the title of Sir Robin Cooke, Lord Cooke of Thorndon, although until his death on 30 August 2006 he lived in Karori.
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[edit] Features of Thorndon
Thorndon occupies the northern end of the narrow coastal plain that makes up the heart of Wellington. It is flanked by the green hills of Wadestown to the west and the port facilities of Wellington Harbour to the east.
The suburb is dominated by transportation links, government offices, and schools, and is also the location of one of the country's main sports venues.
The Chinese Embassy is located at 2-6 Glenmore Street in Thorndon.
[edit] Government buildings
New Zealand's parliament is located in Thorndon, immediately to the north of the centre of Wellington. These buildings consist of the stately old wing of Parliament Buildings, the executive offices in Basil Spence's modernistic "Beehive", and the nearby office complex of Bowen House.
Thorndon is also home to the National Library and Archives New Zealand. Both have regular exhibitions and hold valuable documents and collections. Archives houses the Treaty of Waitangi.
[edit] Transportation hub
Thorndon is surrounded by major transportation links. To the west, at the foot of the hills, is the Wellington Urban Motorway, part of State Highway 1, linking Wellington and Auckland, and leading to State Highway 2 connecting with the cities of the Hutt Valley.
To the northeast lies the North Island terminal of the Interislander Cook Strait ferries, an important road-rail link between the two main islands of New Zealand. Services run daily between Wellington and Picton in the Marlborough region of the South Island.
Between these two transport links is Wellington Railway Station, the southern terminus of the North Island Main Trunk railway, and also the base for suburban commuter lines to northern Wellington suburbs, the Kapiti Coast, and the Hutt Valley. Earlier Wellington railway terminals have also been located in Thorndon, most notably the southern terminus of New Zealand's most successful privately owned railway, the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company.
[edit] Schools
Several large schools are located in Thorndon, notably Wellington Girls' College, St Mary's College and Queen Margaret College.
[edit] Churches
Thorndon is home to two Cathedrals: Wellington Cathedral of Saint Paul (Anglican) and Sacred Heart Cathedral (Roman Catholic). One of Thorndon's most popular tourist attractions is Old St Paul's [1].
[edit] Sports
The new Westpac Stadium is one of New Zealand's top sports venues. It is located on former railway land close to the edge of Wellington Harbour.
[edit] Thorndon Events
Every December is the Thorndon Fair, a community event with many stalls of crafts and second-hand goods. Parts of Tinakori Road and Hill Street are closed during the fair.
