Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
A view of Brașov’s Old Town.
Romania • 12 days, 11 nights
Legends of Romania: Castles, Ruins & Culinary Delights
from
Balkans road trip
Bosnia and Herzegovina • 9 days, 8 nights
Balkans Road Trip: Serbia, Croatia & Bosnia and Herzegovina
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
Ambuluwawa Tower
Hesperus Mountain.
Hesperus Mountain
Miniature Collection at Museo del Pueblo de Guanajuato
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Names on the bartop.
The Dive
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
U.S. Air Force Capt. Samuel “RaZZ” Larson, F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team commander, passes over the flight line at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, July 9, 2024
Who Swarmed Langley Air Force Base With Drones?
about 23 hours ago
Our producer Manolo Morales would spend his final days perusing the shelves at Book Off.
Where Would You Go to Wait for the Apocalypse?
2 days ago
This event showcasing the bounty of the Traverse City region’s amazing agriculture, craft, and creativity culminates with a Grand Tasting on August 23.
The Atlas Obscura Guide to Traverse City’s Event Season
3 days ago
She’ll get you and your little dog too.
Dear Atlas: Where Can I Explore Witch History Without the Kitsch?
3 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All New Zealand Auckland Maungawhau (Mount Eden)

Maungawhau (Mount Eden)

The platform atop this verdant volcano was built with the help of a royal elephant.

Auckland, New Zealand

Added By
Sam
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
  Christian Mairoll / CC BY-SA 2.5
  Christian Mairoll / CC BY-SA 2.5
The green crater of Mt. Eden.   Etherbug/CC BY 3.0
Prince Alfred’s elephant Tom with his handler, William Paton, en route to England. Tom would eventually kill Paton, crushing him during transport.   Hutton Archive / Getty Images
  spersephone / Atlas Obscura User
  spersephone / Atlas Obscura User
  spersephone / Atlas Obscura User
  spersephone / Atlas Obscura User
  spersephone / Atlas Obscura User
  spersephone / Atlas Obscura User
  spersephone / Atlas Obscura User
The platform atop Mt. Eden which Tom helped to build.   Jubalj / CC BY-SA 3.0
  Symac / CC BY-SA 3.0
View of Auckland at night from Mt. Eden.   russellstreet/CC BY-SA 2.0
Mt. Eden as seen from elsewhere in the city   Mike Linksvayer/Public Domain
  Traveler Tim / Atlas Obscura User
The peak of the platform.   Konrad Lembcke/CC BY-ND 2.0
Volcano near Auckland   Glenn / Atlas Obscura User
  sarahnella / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

At almost 650 feet high, the cone of this long-dormant volcano is the highest natural point in the Auckland region. But that's not its only claim to fame—the stone observation platform at its peak was built with the help of an elephant.

The volcano's last eruption is thought to have been around 28,000 years ago. It spewed lava from three different cones to form the land upon which Auckland now sits. The peak, which goes by both its Māori and English names, is the highest point in the city, making it a popular destination. The 160-foot-deep crater Te Ipu-a-Mataaho ("The Bowl of Mataaho") is named after a deity said to live inside it, guarding the secrets of the earth.

In the late 19th century, much of one side of the mountain was quarried to build some of Auckland's earliest homes, prisons and other structures in the region, as well as the platform atop the peak. The laborers were mostly Māori men and prisoners, but one was a royal elephant.

Prince Alfred, the Duke of Edinburgh, was to finish his 1870s tour of the Royal Navy in Auckland. When passing through Nepal, the prince was gifted a three-year-old elephant by Sir Jung Bahadoor. Alfred named the elephant Tom, and took him along to New Zealand, much to the delight of Auckland residents who had likely never seen such a creature before.

Over the course of the prince's stay the elephant was kept in the royal barracks. But his strength and size weren't put to waste. While on board the ship from Sri Lanka to New Zealand, Tom carried 300 tons of coal across the vessel, much to the delight of the sailors. He was put to similar work on Mt. Eden's platform, hauling heavy basalt up the mountainside. The royal pachyderm was rewarded for his labor with candy and beer. 

Today, the mountaintop platform remains one of Auckland's most popular tourist sites for its beautiful views of the city and surrounding area. Tom's life didn't last quite so long, but his memory still remains. He did not stay in New Zealand, but relocated to several British zoos before his death in 1882 at the Dublin Zoo. The zoo held onto his remains, and in 2010 they were purchased by the Trinity College Zoological Museum, where they are now on display.

Related Tags

Animals Volcanoes Quarries Mountains Craters Elephants Maori Geology
Atlas Obscura Adventures

Wild New Zealand: Exploring the North & South Islands

Stunning landscapes, unique wildlife, and rich Māori culture.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

SamM

Edited By

Molly McBride Jacobson, Traveler Tim, sarahnella, Michelle Cassidy...

  • Molly McBride Jacobson
  • Traveler Tim
  • sarahnella
  • Michelle Cassidy
  • spersephone
  • Glenn

Published

January 12, 2017

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.toogooddigital.co.nz/
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maungawhau
  • http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11416890
  • http://timespanner.blogspot.com/2009/07/princes-elephant.html
Maungawhau (Mount Eden)
Puhi Huia Rd
Auckland
New Zealand
-36.875868, 174.764386
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Symonds Street Cemetery

Auckland, New Zealand

miles away

Sky Tower

Auckland, New Zealand

miles away

'The Lighthouse: Tū Whenua-a-Kura'

Auckland, New Zealand

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Auckland

Auckland

New Zealand

Places 10
Stories 2

Nearby Places

Symonds Street Cemetery

Auckland, New Zealand

miles away

Sky Tower

Auckland, New Zealand

miles away

'The Lighthouse: Tū Whenua-a-Kura'

Auckland, New Zealand

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Auckland

Auckland

New Zealand

Places 10
Stories 2

Related Stories and Lists

12 Natural Wonders You Can Visit Via Public Transportation

List

By Michelle Cassidy

Related Places

  • Approaching the south rim of Easy Chair Crater on the trail..

    Nye County, Nevada

    Easy Chair Crater

    An unusual double cinder cone with a bent oval crater, in the Lunar Crater Volcanic Field.

  • A view of the perfectly round Lac Pavin.

    Besse-et-Saint-Anastaise, France

    Lac Pavin

    This volcanic crater lake is renowned for its perfectly round shape, stunning blue-green waters, and unique geological properties.

  • Arequipa, Peru

    Añashuayco Quarry

    An outdoor gallery of sculptures chiseled from a unique stone that deemed Arequipa's old town a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

  • West crater, looking slightly northeast.

    Cleft, Idaho

    Crater Rings

    Two geologically young and nearly circular volcanic subsidence craters, each about a half-mile in diameter, abruptly break the nearly featureless Snake River Plain.

  • Rano Kui

    Rapa Nui, Chile

    Kotepokouri Rano Kau

    A volcanic crater that visitors can look inside.

  • The crater as seen in February

    Gypsum, Colorado

    Dotsero Crater

    Colorado's only active volcano last erupted around 4,000 years ago.

  • Winona, Missouri

    Rocky Falls

    A 40-foot waterfall flows into this unique natural swimming hole.

  • Looking northeasterly along Big Soda Lake.

    Fallon, Nevada

    Soda Lakes

    Two craters, which probably erupted within the last 1,500 years and are now filled by alkaline lakes, represent Nevada's youngest known volcanic activity.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.