Thorndon - Setting the scene

Thorndon is one of the most historic suburbs in New Zealand. There are many old buildings in the Thorndon region and they have a lot of significance to Wellington and it’s history.
Europeans first settled in Thorndon in the 1840’s and they named the suburb after the Essex home of the New Zealand company director, Lord Petre. It has become one of Wellington’s most historic suburbs since. There are many old houses and buildings that still remain from then. They are a big part of Thorndon’s historical value to New Zealand.
In 1865 Thorndon became the home of New Zealand’s parliament, where it is today. The first building burnt down in a fire in 1907 and the only building that survived was the library. Newer buildings have been added into the grounds such as parliament house, and more recently, the beehive.

As you can see, Thorndon is a rich source of New Zealand’s history as well as Wellington and we hope you enjoy finding out more about this cool suburb.