Wellington City

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Wellington City Regional Information

The Polynesian explorer Kupe is said to have been the first to discover Wellington Harbour, with Maori legend recounting the arrival of Kupe and his followers at some time around the 10th century. European settlement began in 1839, when settlers built their first homes at Britannia, now called Petone, at the mouth of the Hutt River.

Today, the capital city of New Zealand is not only the political centre of the nation, it is also the nation's cultural hub. Its densely populated inner city area supports a vibrant arts scene, cafe culture and nightlife much larger than most cities of a similar size.

Te Papa, the National Museum of New Zealand, preserves and presents the treasures of all New Zealanders. Due to the creative interpretation and display of cultural items, Te Papa has been described by the Washington Post as "one of the most ambitiously eclectic museums in the world." Exhibits tell the story of New Zealand's history, culture, geology, society and arts, in a series of dramatic long term displays, along with short term exhibitions and a dynamic events programme.

Musically, the city is home to the country's premier professional orchestra, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, which was founded in 1946 and performs over 100 concerts annually. Equally acclaimed is the New Zealand String Quartet, known for its dramatic energy and beauty of sound. They have a history of recitals and recordings throughout New Zealand, North America, Europe and Asia. Wellington is also proud to have produced some of the country's most recognized rock, dub and reggae groups, including Shihad, The Phoenix Foundation, The Black Seeds and Fat Freddy's Drop, to name a few.

The city has also made its mark in theatre and film, providing a home for iconic film makers such as Peter Jackson, noted for his work on feature films including the Lord of the Rings epic and King Kong. Wellington, or Wellywood as it is known to film buffs, has achieved prominence as a film making centre through the Tolkien trilogy and other work from the creative special effects team at Weta Workshop. In the world of live theatre, Wellington also shines, offering audiences the chance to view performances at three professional theatres. The Circa, Downstage and Bats theatres feature traditional, alternative, Pacific Island, New Zealand and international productions.

The city also excels in the literary arts; among many successful writers, Katherine Mansfield is one of the most significant, being recognised nationally and globally as one of the best short story writers of the twentieth century. Her birthplace can be visited in Thorndon, New Zealand's oldest suburb. A popular creative writing course run by poet Bill Manhire through Victoria University continues to produce award winning writers of fiction.

Navigate with our great Wellington City map to stay on the right track and find what you're looking for when traveling in the region. While you're on the road, be prepared for all seasons with weather forecasts, reports and current information on Wellington City weather.

For both locals and visitors, Wellington is a cultural feast. For more information, visit Wellington's official information site.