By EMMA BUTT in Rotorua
The Rotorua Museum reckons its Bath House is New Zealand's most photographed building.
It's old, an architectural icon, used as a signature shot for Rotorua in promotional brochures and seems to capture the lenses of the hundreds of thousands of visitors to the museum and Government Gardens.
But so what, says the rest of the country.
Tourism offices in other cities reckon the museum is dreaming, saying there are plenty of other places snapped far more often.
But Rotorua Museum director Greg McManus is adamant the Bath House is without doubt New Zealand's most photographed building and it intends to use a similar catchphrase as part of its new marketing campaign.
"I doubt any other New Zealand building has been photographed as often as the Rotorua Bath House over the last century," Mr McManus said.
"To be honest, New Zealand has very few truly iconic buildings and certainly none as unique as the Rotorua Bath House."
However, Dunedin City Council marketing manager Mark Reynolds begs to differ.
He believes the Dunedin Railway Station holds the title of the most photographed building in the country.
"Rotorua is entitled to their opinion but they're wrong," Mr Reynolds said.
"The railway [station] has its 100th birthday next year and it has been photographed since day one."
An Auckland tourism officer said although the Bath House was a beautiful building, the Sky Tower won when it came to photographs.
"I work just down the road and there is always people there taking photos," said Heart of the City marketing manager Liz Smith.
"They are entitled to have a go but I think the Sky Tower wins."
And it doesn't stop there.
Christchurch and Canterbury Marketing believes the Christchurch Cathedral would be more photographed than Rotorua's Bath House.
"The cathedral would give them a good run for their money," marketing manager Chris Griffin said.
In fact, a business has been set up taking group photos of people outside the cathedral, he said.
"I think we have a good strong case to dispute their claims," he said.
Positively Wellington chief executive Tim Cossar thought the Beehive and Parliament buildings would be "up there" as the most photographed building.
"It's a national icon," he said. Mr Cossar said many students took photos of the Beehive as part of their school projects and it was "hugely popular" with international tourists.
But, having lived in Rotorua, he said the Bath House was a "fantastic piece of architecture" and thought the whole thing was a bit of a challenge.
One other tourism officer does agree with Mr McManus' claims.
Destination Northland general manager Robyn Bolton believes the Bath House could quite possibly hold the title of the most photographed building, although she does admit to being slightly biased - having lived in Rotorua.
Ms Bolton said although the lighthouse at Cape Reinga was "up there" it wasn't as accessible to the public as the Bath House.
"It [the lighthouse] would be a close rival, a lot of national and international visitors go there but it is hard to get to," she said.
Country's most iconic building?
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