Wellington, the Capital of New Zealand, is known for its vibrant arts scene, world class café and restaurant culture and active outdoor lifestyle. This creative, cosmopolitan city is surrounded by the rugged beauty of green hills and has an easily walkable downtown area set around an attractive waterfront. It offers a mixture of modern and older style buildings and the strong Victorian influence is testimony to Wellington's early establishment as the country's centre of political life. Of particular note is the Government Building built in 1876, the second largest timber building in the world. Wellington combines the sophistication of a capital with the warmth and personality of a village.