Christchurch is named by The New York Times as its second pick of places to see in the world in 2014.
The New York Times building in New York. Photo: Getty Images North America / AFP / file
The paper selected 52 locations worldwide which it recommended its readers to visit.
Three years after central Christchurch was hit by two earthquakes, the paper says the city is experiencing a rebirth with creativity and wit thanks to the ingenuity of its hardy residents.
It points out that much of the central city is yet to be rebuilt, but entrepreneurs and volunteers are finding surprising ways to make use of the empty lots.
It highlights a coin-operated dance floor and a performance space made of pallets, which were both created by Gap Filler, a community group.
The article also describes the cardboard cathedral as a magnificent transitional church to replace the destroyed 19th Century Anglican cathedral.
The paper's number one pick is Cape Town, South Africa.
