While Auckland, New Zealand contains numerous sites such as Albert Park that house multiple monuments, there are countless other landmarks and attractions spread across the city. They’re a mix of pieces that were installed decades or centuries ago with ones that are essentially works of contemporary art, providing residents and visitors with a powerful sense of the past and present of the city.
The Memorial fountain and statue of Sir John Logan Campbell is located right outside Cornwall Park at the Manukau Road entrance. Depicting Campbell in mayoral robes and holding the Deed of Gift, it was erected by public subscription in appreciation of the donor’s generosity. It was unveiled on 24 May 1906 by Lord Plunket.
Other monuments have been around nearly as long and were erected to honor events like World War I or to mark the anniversary of organizations like the Auckland Acclimatization Society. However, they’re mixed in with various pieces of contemporary art like “The World Grasped”. The piece by Terry Stringer was installed in 2006 and has been described as being a major part of the future of the surrounding neighborhood’s cultural landscape. These pieces have also come to directly and indirectly inspire other pieces of art in the surrounding vicinity.
These are just a few of the obscure and outstanding monuments that are spread across Auckland. Many of these pieces are on display as visitors make their way from places like Aotea Square to One Tree Hill within the Auckland Domain, which is also home to the Auckland War Memorial Museum.
Whether they’ve only been around for a few years or for multiple decades, all of these pieces have unique histories and stories that have helped to serve as attractions for visitors and points of pride for residents. Doing so has helped to create positive economic and cultural impacts for Auckland and New Zealand as a whole.
