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Hawke's Bay Wine Country
Tourism Association
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Historic Buildings
Despite the devastating 1931 earthquake, Hawke’s Bay still has some fine examples of historic commercial and residential buildings to view.
Havelock North has many characteristics of an English village, none more so than Duart House, a beautiful example of a restored estate. The house and gardens are well maintained and the house is available for hire for conferences, weddings, and display functions. After the earthquake, Hastings buildings were designed and built to a Spanish architecture theme. The Hastings Municipal Theatre, built in 1917 and recently renamed the Hawke’s Bay Opera House, is a popular Hastings landmark and is a richly ornamented, baroque interpretation of Spanish Mission architecture.
Hastings also has many Art Deco styled buildings and facades. Standing like a beacon in the middle of the inner city is the Hastings Clock Tower built in 1932, the tower was erected from the bells of the old 1910 Post Office Tower. Westermans Building, a former department store, is now the home for Hastings i-SITE Visitor Centre. The building is the jewel in the Hastings’ architectural crown. It is Spanish Mission from its Renaissance phase, with classical detailing. Under the veranda, with its pressed metal ceiling, is one of the most superb examples of shop front design in New Zealand.
The Hastings i-SITE has a Heritage of Hastings guide, which showcases the many pre World War 1, and 1920 and 1930 buildings.
Napier’s building highlights include the National Tobacco Co. building, which is an Art Deco masterpiece richly decorated both internally and externally. Others include the Napier Municipal Theatre built in 1938 with its Egyptian influence, the former Government Building modelled on government buildings in Washington DC and the County Hotel first built in 1908 and then rebuilt in 1935. The Hawke’s Bay Club built in 1906 is a grand Edwardian building and is a fine example of timber construction on a large scale. Also not to be missed is The Soundshell on Marine Parade. The Art Deco Walk map is an informative guide to the city’s buildings and is available at visitor information centres.
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