Wellington - At the Centre of Lord of the Rings
Since filming began in 1999, Wellington served as the production base for The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and became a temporary home for many of the film's stars. The base for the filming studios and special effects company Weta, Wellington also hosted several of the film's large outdoor set constructions. The Gondorian city of Minas Tirith and the fortifications of Helms Deep were based just off State Highway 2 out of Wellington in
Lower Hutt, the grounds of a picturesque holiday park became the gardens of Isengard, and Kaitoke Regional Park (
Upper Hutt), just north of the capital city, found a new role as the elvish realm of Rivendell.
Outside the studio, visiting cast members were swept away by Wellington's rolling hills, with its colourful wooden houses perched over winding streets. Spending their free time exploring the city and its surrounds, the off-duty hobbits, elves and wizards became regular fixtures in local cafés, restaurants and nightclubs. Many of the cast and crew stayed at Seatoun and Karaka Bay during filming, enjoying brunch at the popular
Chocolate Fish Café in nearby Scorching Bay. Stars Elijah Wood and Liv Tyler frequented fashionable night spots
Brava and Studio 9, while Sean Bean enjoyed a pint at Molly Malone's. Liv also bought some of the Kiwi designs from Wellington fashion boutique, Starfish. Feeling quite at home watching weekend rugby, checking out the city's thriving theatre scene and even surfing with the locals at Lyall Bay, many of the film's stars expressed disappointment at having to leave when The Lord of the Rings production 'wrapped'.
They needn't have worried though - thousands of spectators welcomed them back with an enormous street party prior to the Australasian premiere of both '
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring' in 2001,
'The Two Towers' in 2002 and
'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' . In preparation for these big events, Wellington even officially named itself 'Middle-Earth' for a week, renaming road signs and changing the name of the capital's evening newspaper to 'The Middle-Earth Post!'
There are plenty of attractions to enjoy in New Zealand's cosmopolitan capital. The city has a well-earned reputation as New Zealand's 'centre stage' for art and entertainment. In addition to vibrant collections of visual arts and a lively performing arts scene, the city is home to the ground-breaking
Museum of New Zealand (Te Papa), the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, the NBR New Zealand Opera, the Royal New Zealand Ballet and national treasures such as the original Treaty of Waitangi, considered by many to be New Zealand's founding document.
The vibrant quarter of Courtenay Place more than lives up to its reputation as Wellington's entertainment zone, with a plethora of cafés and restaurants offering a melting pot of cuisines to tempt the tastebuds. At night, the clubs stay pumping until the small hours - try slipping into Blair or Allen Street. Once alive at dawn with auctioneers selling fresh vegetables and flowers, the reverse is now in vogue, with fashionable night spots open until late.
(Material provided with the input of Tourism New Zealand -
www.purenz.com)
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