Cuba Street, Wellington
Length | 0.925 km (0.575 mi)[1] |
---|---|
Location | Te Aro, Wellington |
Postal code | 5012 |
Coordinates | 41°17′37″S 174°46′32″E / 41.2935°S 174.7756°E |
Upper end | Mount Cook |
Lower end | Te Ngākau Civic Square |
Other | |
Known for | Contributions to New Zealand's culture |
Cuba Street is a prominent city street in Wellington, New Zealand. Among the best known and most popular streets in the city, the Cuba precinct has been labelled Wellington's cultural centre, and is known for its high-per-capita arts scene the world over.[2][3]
Cuba Street and the surrounding area (known as the Cuba Street Precinct), known for its bohemian nature, boasts scores of cafés, op-shops, music venues, restaurants, record shops, bookshops, heritage architecture of various styles, and a general "quirkiness"[4] that has made it one of the city's most popular tourist destinations.[5][2] A youth-driven location, the partly pedestrianised Cuba Street is full of shoppers and city-dwellers all year round.[2][6]
Developed at the point of
The section between Dixon Street and Ghuznee Street is a
History and location
Cuba Street runs south from the
Cuba Street runs across land that was once next to Te Aro Pā[14] and the gardens of Māori iwi who lived there.[15]
One of the first colonial families that purchased land around upper Cuba Street were the Tonks in the 1840s. They established brickyards, and streets in the area were named after them including Tonks Ave, Arthur Street, and Frederick Street.[8] Cuba Street was a major thoroughfare in this time. It was sealed in the late 1800s and got gas street lamps in the 1860s.[16] The historic area of upper Cuba Street near Tonks Ave and Arthur Street was majorly re-formed due to a controversial inner city bypass road that was completed in 2007.[17]
For 60 years (1904–1964) an electric tram line went up Cuba Street as part of the Wellington tramway system. After the tramlines were removed and following public pressure the middle section of the street closed to traffic in 1969 to become a pedestrian mall and has remained so.[8]
Since 1995 Cuba Street has been a registered Historic Area under the Historic Places Act 1993, with over 40 buildings of historic significance[18][8] including the Bank of New Zealand building and National Bank Building. Despite the number of older buildings in the street, there was little building damage from the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake.[19]
Cuba Street is the centre of one of the four 'quarters' of downtown Wellington, the Cuba Quarter, the other quarters are centred on Lambton Quay, Courtenay Place and Willis Street.
Literary history
Mary Taylor (1817–1893), lifelong friend and correspondent of author Charlotte Brontë, owned and ran a small Cuba Street general store, from c. 1840 to 1860. The shop no longer exists but a heritage storyboard at the intersection of Cuba and Dixon streets commemorates her.[20]
Local people and activities
Cuba Street is described as the bohemian creative area of Wellington, and is the home to many cafes, op-shops, boutique fashion stores, art galleries, and music shops.[21]
On Cuba Street is the
The Bucket Fountain is a prominent sculpture in Cuba Mall.
In 2018 some retailers moved into the adjacent Ghuznee Street.[23]
The northern end is more commercial, with established chain stores such as Whitcoulls and The Body Shop. The southern end (known as the 'top' of Cuba Street, or upper Cuba) is more boutique.
In the mid-1970s to early 1980s, Vivian Street which crosses Cuba St was Wellington's red light district, with street prostitutes, strip clubs, peep shows and gay bars. New Zealand's first iconic drag queen and activist Carmen Rupe ran Carmen's International Coffee Lounge on Vivian Street in the 60s and 70s.[24][25] Pedestrian light signals in her likeness were put up at four intersections along Cuba Street in 2016 to coincide with the 30-year anniversary of the Homosexual Law Reform Bill coming into effect.[26]
Music and venues
CubaDupa is an annual street party celebrating Cuba Street.[27]
Gallery
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The Bucket Fountain, Cuba Street, Wellington, November 2020
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Bachelor cottage "The Old Shebang" near Tonks Ave on Cuba Street ca. 1883
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Wellington City – Streets Publicity Caption Wellington City Views. Cuba Street Shopping Mall Photographer G Hutchinson
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Earthquake strengthening taking place – Cuba St
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Cuba St.looking north from Ghuznee Street in summer
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Carmen Rupe pedestrian crossing light at the Vivian and Cuba Street intersection
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Performance at venue San Francisco Bathhouse by Canadian artist Peaches
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Interior of Loretta, one of the hundreds of cafes on Cuba Street
References
- ^ Google (30 October 2015). "Cuba Street, Wellington" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 30 October 2015.
- ^ a b c d e Marshall, Nikki (30 November 2015). "48 hours in Wellington, New Zealand: where to go, what to do". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
- ^ Clark, Matthew (23 June 2015). "The Best Places To Eat On Cuba St, Wellington". Culture Trip. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
- ^ "Cuba Street". www.wellingtonnz.com. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
- ^ a b "Cuba Street". screenwellington.com. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
- ^ Clark, Matthew (23 June 2015). "The Best Places To Eat On Cuba St, Wellington". Culture Trip. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
- ^ Williams, William (1 January 1883). ""The Old Shebang", Cuba Street, Wellington". "The Old Shebang", Cuba Street, Welli... | Items | National Library of New Zealand | National Library of New Zealand. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
- ^ a b c d e "Cuba Street has time on its side". Wellington City Council. 13 March 2015. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
- ^ "Cuba St's revolutionary cafe: Fidel's". www.wellingtonnz.com. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
- ^ "Pride in new rainbow crossing on Wellington's Cuba street". RNZ. 9 October 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
- ^ Alves, Thalita (8 June 2017). "A Brief History of Cuba Street, Wellington". Culture Trip. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
- ^ Belich, james (1996). Making Peoples: A History of the New Zealanders (Paperback 2001 ed.). Auckland, New Zealand: Penguin Books (N.Z.) Limited. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
- ^ Arundell, Richard. Early history of New Zealand. Auckland, New Zealand: H. Breet, Printer and Publisher, Auckland. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
- ^ "Te Aro Pa – Map C.1. No 2". Wellington City Libraries Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui. Archived from the original on 19 June 2002. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
- ^ "Te Aro pa and Matairangi". Wellington City Libraries Te Mataphi ki te Ao Nui. Archived from the original on 3 May 2003. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
- ^ Gunter-Firth, Fiona (13 February 2013). "A Photographic history of Cuba Street". Cuba St Project. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
- ^ O'Neil, Andrea (5 April 2015). "150 years of news: Protests against inner-city bypass exposed deep rift in Te Aro district heritage". Stuff. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
- ^ "Cuba Street Historic Area". New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero. Heritage New Zealand. Retrieved 1 December 2009.
- ^ "Miracle on Cuba Street". Stuff (Fairfax Media). 21 November 2016.
- ^ "Mary Taylor, friend of Charlotte Bronte – The Cuba Street Memories Project". Kete.wcl.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
- ^ "Cuba Street". Screen Wellington. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
- ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
- ^ "Business exodus from Cuba Street is Ghuznee's gain as new precinct thrives". Stuff (Fairfax). 2 May 2018.
- ^ "Queer nightlife in Wellington". Collections Online Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. Archived from the original on 17 May 2017. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
- ^ McBride, Kerry (26 March 2012). "Teacups talked at Carmen's coffee lounge". Stuff. Archived from the original on 28 March 2012. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
- ^ Nicoll, Jack (8 August 2016). "Carmen Rupe lighting up Wellington streets once again". Stuff. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
- ^ "CubaDupa – 24th and 25th March 2018". www.cubadupa.co.nz. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
External links
- Cuba Street Online
- "Cuba and Manners Street corner, early 20th century (photo)". WCC Archives. 2022.