The Auckland Domain is the city's oldest and largest central park — 75 hectares of parkland, sports fields, winter gardens, and walking tracks laid out in the 19th century on the rim of the Pukekawa volcano cone and now the site of the War Memorial Museum. The park's topography (a classic volcanic crater) gives it a natural amphitheatre form, and the Auckland Domain Concert on Christmas Eve (a free orchestral concert drawing 50,000+ people) is one of the city's summer traditions.
The Wintergardens (built in the 1910s and 1920s) are two glasshouses — one tropical, one cool-climate — connected by a fernery, and are the city's most photographed horticultural space. The Lovers' Walk and the Auckland Domain loop track provide quiet walking in the middle of the city, and the Parnell Rose Gardens at the northeastern corner feature 5,000 rose plants arranged in formal beds (best October through April). The Domain has been the location of the annual Diwali and Lantern festivals since 2003.
Verified Facts
The Auckland Domain covers 75 hectares
The park sits on the rim of the Pukekawa volcanic cone
The Wintergardens were built in the 1910s and 1920s
The Parnell Rose Gardens have 5,000 rose plants
Get walking directions
Parnell, Auckland
