When the 1931 earthquake destroyed Hastings, the rebuilt city became an accidental showcase of 1930s commercial architecture. Unlike Napier, which gets more tourist attention, Hastings' Art Deco and Spanish Mission buildings are still largely in working use — banks, shops, and offices occupy facades decorated with sunbursts, geometric friezes, and terracotta ornament. Walking Heretaunga Street and the surrounding blocks reveals one of New Zealand's most distinctive town centres.
The Hastings Clock Tower at the centre of town is the obvious starting point. A heritage walk map is available from the visitor centre and covers about 30 buildings in the central area. The Spanish Mission style — white render, curved parapets, and Moorish-influenced decoration — is particularly well represented, reflecting the influence of California's rebuilding after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake on New Zealand architects working two decades later.