The photographer appears to have been standing on the balcony of the Commercial Hotel (corner of Main Street West) and is looking north towards Broad Street (now Broadway Avenue). On the far left is the wooden Royal Hotel on the corner of Rangitikei Street and in the centre is the corner of Broad Street. The spire on the far right is that of the Catholic Church, then situated in Broad Street. Note the the trees and shrubs which were the first attempt to beautify The Square gardens.