Auckland Museum Band Rotunda

 

photo a bit blurred as we were driving past at the time.

I've posted a few times now of different band rotundas I've seen around New Zealand. I love the old fashioned architecture especially of this one I saw in the Auckland Museum Domain last November. 

This one was established in 1882 after architect Henry Edmonds submitted plans for it to the Recreation Ground Board (as it was called back then). The band rotunda was a gift from a prominent Auckland biscuit manufacturer J.M. Mennie and recently it was being restored to it's original colours.

Now back then Auckland was busy being colonised so this photo above shows how many people would spend the day here, it's still a beautiful spot in the middle of the city, one of my favourites. I'm guessing brass music was popular back then and with no televisions this was probably a great day out for families.

News from me: the last week has been very very busy. I've been learning all sorts of new bits and pieces of technology at work so it's all been a bit of a brain explosion but at least I'm working - there are many people out there who don't have jobs or money so I consider myself fortunate.

Linking up with Through my lens, Tuesday Treasures, My corner of the world and Wordless Wednesday.

The old Grafton Bridge

How did your Halloween go this week? It came and went for us, we had a few groups of children knocking on our door and we already had a bowl of sweets ready to give out but apart from that it was pretty quiet.

Anyway earlier this week we traveled to Auckland to pick up the other half's step daughter from the airport. On the way we explored parts of the city - now I grew up in Auckland and worked in the central city for many years so sometimes I miss it.

This iconic structure named the Grafton Bridge is on the outer fringe and opened in 1910. It links up Grafton Gully to Karangahape Road, Auckland Hospital and the Auckland Domain. At the time it was built it was the largest concrete bridge arch in the world. Originally the first bridge built was made of wood at 360 feet long and 85 feet high - this one was built in 1885 but as population grew people voiced their opinions about the safety of the structure.

In 1907 the Auckland City Council took tenders to build the new concrete bridge (still there today) which measures 296 metres long with a central span of 320 feet, rising 84 feet  with a height of 142 feet off the valley floor.

In recent years the wave shaped like cover was put over both sides to prevent people jumping over onto the busy motorway below. Underneath the bridge exists the Symonds Street cemetery, one of the oldest places in NZ which houses the remains of mostly early settlers in the 1800s.

(photo from Heritage.org.nz)

These days this part of the city houses mostly University students and only a handful of the old colonial properties still exist.