Auckland area Map
Map of AucklandCastle Auckland | Home of the Prince-Bishops
Auckland Castle was constructed as a symbolic of the Prince Bishop of Durham's might and sovereignty as one of his most important forts and hunter's shelters. High above the Wear River, Auckland Castle provides a magnificent view of the landscape. Its great stature enabled the Prince-Bishops to hold sumptuous festivities and huntsmen's gatherings and to welcome King John, Edward III, James I, Charles I and Queen Victoria to linger.
The Auckland Castle is an inner-sized castle. In the 16th century, the Prince-Bishops used their growing prosperity to provide a place of refuge that mirrored their semi-royal status. The St. Peter's Church is a singular part of the edifice, consisting of a large mediaeval room, which today is the biggest privately owned band in Europe and the place of rest of five archbishops.
During the 1700''s the famous English arquitect James Wyatt built a series of Georgian Gothic state rooms with filigree plastering and lavish decor. They are one of the most beautiful preserved Georgian Gothic Wyatt buildings in the land and constitute a state procession road from the entry to the Great Throne Room.
As representatives of the 12 Israeli clans, they have tacitly advocated the establishment of a policy of political, societal and spiritual toleranc. Ongoing exhibitions investigate the life, faith and motives of the only English Prince-Bishops in detail. The front of the palace is surrounded by a large mediaeval stag garden with a large bridge, fishing lakes, an icehouse and a lovely 18. st. deerhouse.
The Auckland Castle is now shut down for day to day trips for larger restoration and representative work.
Auckland in brief
Auckland Greater is actually a merger of four towns - Auckland, Manukau, North Shore and Waitakere. They are on a highway system that traverses the harbour, streams, brooks and coves, taking tens of thousand commuteers to work in the town. A map can be collected from the Visitors Centre, but the Automobile Association (Tel. 0800/500-213 in New Zealand) has a better one.
Maine Arteries & Streets -- The Queen St. is the Queen St., which ends at Queen Elizabeth Square on Customs Sq. The Quay St. goes along Waitemata Harbour. The Karangahape Road (usually referred to as "K'Road") is at the upper end of Queen St, only 2 km from Quay State. In this area you will find most stores, eateries, nightclubs, large hotel and coach, train and airport terminal in the town.
Parnell and Ponsonby are the most sought-after inner-city areas with the best dining. Modern, laid-back and chilly, with a touch of California, North Shore is much more vibrant, Centrality and East Auckland, with a vibrant Asiatic population in the rich East Territories. Waitakere is the most important wine-growing area in the western part; it preserves powerful testimonies to the early settlements of East Europe around 1900.
Manukau is the southern part of Manukauity, a crucible of Polynesian, Moorish and Europe. Downtown -- It's difficult to determine where the downtown area begins and ends, but let's say it generally includes the downtown area. High Street/Vulcan Lane is a "nervous" part of downtown if you are looking for a good one.
The majority of water-based trips start from the area of Quay Street City. It is a great place to settle down if you don't want to deal with a car; everything is within easy walk-drive. Portonby/Herne Bay -- That's Auckland par excellence -- audacious, cheeky, impudent, czech. It is where most of the best places are to eat, drink and drink; it is where the old and almost renowned are hanging, and you will find some excellent specialist stores and many gorgeous old cloisters.
There are some nice B&Bs here and you won't need a nice ride to have the time. Near Ponsonby Road is Karangahape Road, renowned for everything from remote night clubs and cheeky dining to ethnical boutiques and the full range of sexual boutiques, massages, tattoo parlours and body-piercing salons and beach bars. Mt. Eden/Epsom -- These verdant outskirts on the slope smell like old moneys.
You will find breathtaking residences and luxurious residences - but not all of them are populated by native bluebloods, as the area also has a good number of students' residences. Mount Eden and Epsom both have small fashionable towns where old stores and diners have been dressed up to give the inhabitants the feeling of being outlying.
The area has some nice B&Bs and is a very nice place to settle near One Tree Hill, Cornwall and downtown. Partnell Village is very enchanting, with many great (and expensive) stores and diners (with nightly pub action). It is located near the town centre, the Auckland Museum and the wonderful Auckland Domain Parks.
There' are a few good B&Bs in the area, and in Newmarket, the Saturday am shoppers' heaven, there are plenty of good hotels. This is Auckland's wealthiest area. Breathtaking villas, new high-rise flats, some large, upscale B&Bs and an easy to reach town full of specialist stores make it a good starting point.
It is also near downtown. Bay/St. Italia -- Rich seafront neighborhoods with big property signs -- if you have a Porsche or Ferrari, reveal it on a sun-drenched week-end. This is not such a good accommodation if you want to be near the town, but it is a wonderful half days trip.
There are many great places to eat and drink in the area, and on the weekend there is a lot of activity with runners, runners and inline skaters along the water. Just close it off, walk through the pretty town and take a boat to downtown if you want a more speed. Here are many great B&Bs.
The Takapuna is the North Shore area' s primary shop, but it doesn't have as much personality as Devonport. Eastern suburbs -- nice to see, all very well maintained, but too far from downtown -- if that's what you want. Otara, the home of the ever-growing Polish municipality of Auckland, is located in the north.