Wellington architecture continued....

Inside the gorgeous little church in Central Wellington.... I would have loved to get married in such a fine example of timberwork. And it even had the smell of good timber: Kauri (see below) from New Zealand. The church itself is now only used for Weddings, baptisms and funerals etc...

Kauri trees come from the Agathis Australis family and have cousins in the Australian Karri and the Fijian Kauri. The New Zealand trees are the giants of the family and are second only in size (in the world) to the Redwoods. They were once found in areas over ¾ of New Zealand but are now confined to forests in the upper regions of the North Island. The trees were milled extensively, as they are famous for their long straight lengths of timber. It has the highest volume of timber of any known tree in the world. Over a period of years, firstly for shipping, and then for housing, the tree was nearing extinction. It is now protected and cannot be milled for any reason. However, because of its beautiful sheen, which some say changes color in various lights, and the beautiful grain from the head and the stump of the tree, it is prized for the making of furniture and crafts.

The Beehive... New and older national parliament buildings of New Zealand
and the parliamentary library... Looks a bit like a monastery, but a beatiful piece of architecture.