Lichtscheindl's Empire Hotel

The Empire Hotel, 7 - 11 Willis Street. Originally constructed in 1865, it was damaged by fire in 1871 then restored with new additions in 1875 by its then-owner, Jacob Lichtscheindl. After being on-sold and managed by several individuals and companies, the building was taken over by New Zealand Breweries Ltd in 1955. Greatly modified with virtually no resemblance to the building as it is shown here, it was primarily used as office space by the company until it was demolished in July 1973 to clear the site for the construction of the BNZ (later re-named the State Insurance Tower and then the Aon Centre in 2018). From a souvenir fan-fold collection of postcard-sized engravings titled Views of Wellington produced by the Wellington-based merchants, Eberle & Schnotzinger in 1883.