In Victoria Square is a statue of Captain James Cook, executed by William Trethewey, a Christchurch sculptor. Gifted to the City by the late M. F. Barnett, the statue was unveiled on 10 August 1932 by the Governor General, Lord Bledisloe. On the granite base of the marble figure is the inscription
James Cook, Captain, Royal Navy, circumnavigator who first hoisted the British flag in New Zealand and explored her seas and coasts, 1769–70, 1773–4, 1777
and, lower down:
Oceani investigator accerimus.
As part of the 2008 SCAPE Biennial, Captain Cook acquired a bathroom in Japanese artist Tatzu Oozu’s work Endeavour. You could climb up some stairs, and stand beside Cook.
- Our page on Christchurch statues
- Statues – photos in our collection
- Statues on Flickr
- More local pictures on the blog
- Browse our image collection
