Historic Significance

Historical Significance or Value This historic place was registered under the Historic Places Act 1980. This report includes the text from the original Building Classification Committee report considered by the NZHPT Board at the time of registration. The Sisters of the Dominican Order arrived in New Zealand in 1871. They were based in Dunedin under Bishop Moran, in the newly created South Island See. The nuns had accommodation problems until the Priory was built. The establishment included a school for young Catholic girls. In 1889 a bluestone extension was built to accommodate older students in the newly established St Dominic's College. The Priory was built in the heyday of closed religious orders. The general decline in vocations for closed religious orders in recent decades resulted in the eventual closure of the school and priory. It remains however, a visible reminder of the traditional approach to religious life and a symbol of the values of its period.

Physical Significance

This historic place was registered under the Historic Places Act 1980. This report includes the text from the original Building Classification Committee report considered by the NZHPT Board at the time of registration. ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE: The Dominican Priory is rightly considered one of New Zealand's most important Victorian buildings. The innovative style and method of construction have few parallels in the early history of New Zealand architecture. The relative stylisation of the design is many years ahead of its time. When built it was the largest mass concrete building in the southern hemisphere. The large structure was built without reinforcing and the engineering skill demonstrated is as considerable as the architectural. TOWNSCAPE/LANDMARK SIGNIFICANCE: The building forms an important part of the ecclesiastical precinct of St Joseph's in a commanding position above Dunedin's commercial centre.