Historic Rose Chapel reblooms
The little Rose Chapel was three days away from celebrations to mark its 100th birthday when the February 2011 earthquake thumped it hard.
Gable walls collapsed, the spiral staircase fell, and spectacular stained glass windows shattered.
There was no birthday celebration but the broken pieces were gathered in case the central Christchurch chapel could be fixed.
Now, after what was expected to be a year-long repair and restoration stretched over two years, it has reopened.
At the opening yesterday, mayor Lianne Dalziel said it was a joy to see the ‘‘meticulous’’ work done to save the building.
‘‘It is an exciting day – this is a very special place,’’ she said.
The Christchurch City Council has owned the building since the
mid-1990s and budgeted
$2.5 million for the repair.
The Colombo St chapel was built by the Sisters of Mercy in 1911, and shared a site with the Catholic sisters’ convent and St Mary’s College. At the reopening, college old girl Susan Harding shared her school memories of visiting the chapel, which she likened to ‘‘a secret cave full of glistening treasure’’.
Designed by the Luttrell brothers, who also designed the Theatre Royal, the building has stone walls, a carved timber ceiling, mosaic floor and 12 stained glass windows. It takes its name from the rose window facing the street.
When the convent was demolished late last century, the chapel was threatened until it was bought and strengthened by the council.
No longer consecrated, it has been used for weddings and cultural events and will now be available for them again.
It has a heritage listing and will be looked after for the council by the Rose Historic Chapel Trust.
The Rose Historic Chapel will be open for the public to view this Sunday from 2pm to 4pm.