Molesworth Street, Wellington
Interactive map of Molesworth Street | |
| Maintained by | Wellington City Council |
|---|---|
| Length | 800 m (2,600 ft) |
| Location | Thorndon, Wellington, New Zealand |
| South end | Lambton Quay/Bunny Street |
| North end | Tinakori Road/Park Street |
Molesworth Street is located at the north end of the central business district of Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. Leading from the northern end of Lambton Quay, central Wellington's main street, it is a northbound one-way street linking the CBD with Thorndon, Tinakori Road and the Wellington Urban Motorway north out of the city. The street was named for Sir William Molesworth, 8th Baronet, a prominent member of the New Zealand Company. There is another Molesworth Street in the Wellington metropolitan area, located in the Lower Hutt suburb of Taitā.
Many of New Zealand's main governmental and archival institutions are located on Molesworth Street, most notably New Zealand Parliament Buildings, which are located at the street's southern end. The iconic Beehive is a major landmark close to the street's junction with Lambton Quay and Bowen Street. The New Zealand High Court and Court of Appeal are also located on Molesworth Street. Other prominent buildings on Molesworth Street include St Paul's Cathedral and the National Library of New Zealand. The street is also home to several embassies and apartment blocks.
As the centre of political activity in New Zealand, Molesworth Street has been the site of many important events in New Zealand's history, including a large number of political protests. Prominent among these protests were those against the 1981 South African rugby tour, where on 29 July 1981, for the first time in New Zealand, police batonned political protesters, and the 2022 protest and occupation of Parliament grounds during the COVID-19 pandemic.