St Peter's Cathedral is poised to celebrate its centenary, but the history of the site stretches beyond the foundation stone laid on October 5, 1915.
Dean of Waikato Peter Rickman said the hill had previously been named Pukerangiora, which translates as the Hill of Life Giving Heaven.
"The lower hill was devoted to growing kumara and the top was a holy site. Maori had probably climbed the hill to say their prayers for 700 years."
He said when the first European settlers arrived, Maori of the area fled into the King Country. The hill was then the highest point of natural land in the area, and it was utilised as an observation point for a counterattack that never came.
It was in 1864 that the first Christian service was held at the bottom of the hill conducted by Colonel William Moule.
When the church was finally constructed, the foundation stone was laid by Governor General, the Earl of Liverpool.
It took 14 months for the church to be built, a major expenditure of labour at a time when the whole of Europe was putting all its man power and resources towards the war effort.
Dean Rickman said it was towards of the end of the Gallipoli campaign, and New Zealand was beginning to feel the impacts of war.
"The thinking behind why it was built at a time when other buildings were being finished off in a hurry as men went off to war, is lost in history," he said.
It was not until December 12, 1926, when the Waikato Dioceses separated from Auckland and St Peter's became a cathedral.
The building is constructed of local stone and reinforced with concrete.
For every piece of credible history there are less reputable rumour, including reported hauntings. There have been three reported sightings of ghosts over the years.
Jean Redout, who works at the church, said they don't know who it is, but on early winter mornings you can hear the sound of old women talking.
She said those who had witnessed the ghost included a previous minister and reverend canon.
"The reverend canon said he saw a Victorian apparition walk down the central aisle all in black.
"People love the cathedral and when they pass on they are keeping in touch," she said.
Only one death is known to have occurred on the property in its 100 years, and Dean Rickman said this had happened in the 90s.
"Someone fell off the roof. He may have been trying to get into the organ loft through a trap door, or he may have jumped. He was found dead."
The cathedral has also seen the wedding of All Black Richard Kahui in 2013.
"The publicity and security around that was quite amazing," said Dean Rickman.
The cathedral is also known for being a centre of musical excellence, and boasts one of New Zealand's premier choral choirs.
Other long serving members of church include Bob Tail, the cathedral cat, who stalked the grounds for 22 years, and received an official service.
The number of bells the church holds has gone from two installed in 1933, to eight, which includes some donated from the Hebrew congregation. All eight were made in the White Chapel Foundry in London.
The three courtyards that surround the Cathedral testify to the coming together of cultures, with one devoted to Maori, one Pasifika, and one to Pakeha. This is mirrored in the embossed glass archway, which show the intermingling of an oak and kowhai tree.
The traditional symbol of Saint Peter, two crossed keys over an inverted cross, can be seen all over the cathedral, from the oldest carving to the modern glass archway.
"They are metaphorically and symbolically the keys of heaven, which were given to St Peter from Jesus. The upside down cross relates to when he was an old man, facing martyrdom. Peter didn't feel he warranted being crucified in the same way as Jesus and requested to be crucified upside down," Dean Rickman said.
One of the most fascinating pieces in the church is a font, gifted in 1930, which was hand-carved by a man who went blind during the project.
In 1970 the building survived an earthquake, and strengthening work is expected to begin next year.