|
The Beehive,
Parliament Building and the Parliamentary Library
Find
out all the latest Sightseeing, Tours, Attractions and Events in
Wellington
Hotels
and Accommodation in Wellington
 The
seat of government in New Zealand in centred on the Parliamentary
precinct in Wellington.
Within
shouting distance of each other are the Beehive, Parliament House,
the Parliamentary Library and the Government Buildings.
The
Beehive is the headquarters of government and includes the Cabinet
room, the Prime Minister's offices and rooms for cabinet ministers
and staff.
Completed
in 1981, the Beehive got its name from its unusual architectural
shape - which looks like a beehive - and stands more than 70 metres
high.
Visitors
to the Beehive will appreciate the stylish interior which has in
the main been built from Takaka marble and native Tawa timber.
In
the foyer there is a huge stained-glass window panel called Kotahitanga
- Unity 1990, which reflects upon the multi-cultural nature
of modern New Zealand.
 New
Zealand's old Parliament Building and debating chamber is well worth
a visit.
Designed
and built in the early parts of the 20th Century it has recently
undergone a major rennovation and looks superb.
There
are free one-hour tours available and guides will take great delight
in telling you about New Zealand's style of Government, the workings
of the Parliament, the country's history and many other things.
You
can wander around key areas of the historic buildings including
the Parliament and Legislation chambers and the Grand Hall, as well
as taking in New Zealand multimedia artworks in the Galleria.
Parliamentary
Tours
Weekday
hours: 10 am to 4 pm (last tours depart at 4 pm)
Weekend hours: Saturdays 10 - 3 pm, Sundays 12 - 3 pm (last tours
depart at 3 pm)
Closed: New Year's Day & 2 January, Waitangi Day, Good Friday, Christmas
& Boxing Day.
 On
the other side of the Parliament Building there is the Parliamentary
Library.
The
Library was destroyed by fire in 1992 and it was rebult in the Gothic
style of the original.
Within
its walls there are more than 500,000 books related to the laws,
legislation and government of New Zealand.
At
the southern edge to the Parliamentary Precinct is one of the biggest
wooden structures to be found anywhere in the world - New Zealand's
Government Buildings.
 The
Government Buildings were designed during the 1870s in a style that
replicates stonework.
Free
public tours of the Government Buildings are available although
they are limited to the ground and first floors.
Photos
courtesy of Visitors Services Parliament
|
