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Napier is an important port city in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. Ten kilometres to the south lies Hastings, Napier's twin city. The two are sometimes known in New Zealand as "The Twin Cities" and there is talk of the two cities merging into a single city.
Napier is 332 kilometres (about four hours) northeast by road from the capital, Wellington. It has a population smaller than Hastings, but as Hastings is administered as a district, Napier is the only city in the Hawke's Bay region. Napier is a popular retirement and tourist resort due to its pleasant climate.
The town is on the Bluff Hill headland and the surrounding plain at the southeastern edge of Hawke Bay, a large semi-circular bay that dominates the east coast of New Zealand's North Island. The coastline of the town was substantially altered by a large earthquake in 1931. Several smaller towns lie close to the city, some of which (such as Taradale) are now little more than large suburbs. Other surrounding towns include Bay View, to the north, Clive, to the south, and Flaxmere, west of Hastings.
The town enjoys some of the highest sunshine hours in New Zealand, its warm, relatively dry climate the result of its location on the east coast, a mediterranean climate delivered from the waters to the north, and its strategic position in Hawke's Bay. Most of New Zealand's weather patterns cross the country from the west, and the town lies in the rain shadow of the North Island Volcanic Plateau and surrounding ranges such as the Kaweka Range. However, the town is prone to the remnants of tropical cyclones from the central Pacific Ocean, which occasionally are still at storm strength by the time that they have reached Hawke's Bay.
Napier's major tourist attraction is the town itself, which draws Art Deco and architecture enthusiasts from around the world. The rebuilding period after the 1931 earthquake coincided with the shortlived and rapidly changing Art Deco era and the Great Depression, when little 'mainstreet' development was being undertaken elsewhere. As a result Napier's architecture is strikingly different from any other city; the other notable Art Deco city, Miami Beach, has Streamline Moderne Art Deco. The whole centre of Napier was rebuilt simultaneously. In many ways it resembles a film set as it has whole streets of 'in period' buildings, but it is a real city and the buildings are original. Santa Barbara, California was rebuilt after an earthquake in 1925 and is notable for its Spanish Mission Style buildings.
Other tourist attractions in Napier include The National Aquarium and the Soundshell. Attractions nearby include the Cape Kidnappers Gannet Colony, and many vineyards bordering Hastings City. Many people use Napier as a gateway to Hawkes Bay, flying in to the Hawkes Bay airport at Westshore from Wellington City, Auckland and Christchurch. From Napier, tourists explore Hastings City, Havelock North, Wairoa and Cape Kidnappers.
Tourists flock to Napier in February for Art Deco weekend and the Mission Concert Weekend. The large wine industry hosts the Annual Harvest Hawkes Bay Weekend.
Napier is is the largest crossbred wool centre in the Southern Hemisphere and one of the largest apple, pear, and stone fruit producing areas in New Zealand. It has also become an important grape growing and wine production area with the fruit passing from the growers around Metropolitan Hastings and then to Napier for exporting. There are large frozen meat, wool, pulp and timber tonnages passing through Napier’s port.
Original versions of our photos can be purchased & web versions can be shared subject to conditions.