Pretoria

Pretoria
Pretoria
Pretoria
Pretoria
Pretoria
 

Top Traveller's Tips

Union buildings – designed by Sir Herbert Baker as the seat of the government of the Union of South Africa. Built by 1 265 artisans and now 100 years old, they stand as a monument to the changes wrought in South Africa over the last century and are now fully representative of the new dispensation, housing the Office of the President. www.visitpretoria.co.za

Premier Diamond Mine, Cullinan – see where the largest diamond was discovered, before it found its own way into the Tower of London in the crown jewels. Follow the tour and watch the diamond cutters polish their stones. www.cullinandiamonds.co.za

Rovos Rail’s opulent vintage train trips set out from Capital Park station. Travel countrywide and as far afield as Dar-es-Salaam in lovingly restored locomotives. Not for the cash-strapped! 012 315 8242, www.rovos.com

Heroes’ Acre in Church Street Cemetery where past leaders including Paul Kruger, Andries Pretorius and Hendrik Verwoerd are buried, although admittedly some of their hero status is nowadays as politically incorrect as that of the Australian anti-hero Breaker Morant, who is also buried here! www.tshwane.gov.za/interest.cfm

History & Heritage

The National Cultural History Museum is an amalgamation of numerous collections including those of the Transvaal Museum and the Museum of Military History 012 328 5173 www.ditsong.org.za

The Freedom Park is known as the Isivivane (a mound of rocks in memory of a man or an event, in Bantu culture). It is an impressive 52-hectare park depicting all the great wars that formed the country and, not least among them, the struggle for freedom. www.freedompark.co.za

Voortrekker Monument – a commemoration of the Great Trek. Once it was considered infra-dig to speak English here but it’s no longer frowned upon. Spectacular friezes depict this extraordinary migration of a people. www.voortrekkermon.org.za

Paul Kruger House offers a faithful representation of the past where the late Transvaal President and his wife Gezina once lived. The old Transvaal flag (the Vierkleur) even flies outside from the pole. www.ditsong.org.za

Critics Cuisine

LA MADELEINE, Lynnwood Ridge, Pretoria – Chef Daniel Leusch has been at it for years. One of SA’s first ever fine dining restaurants. Formidable food and a blazing fire in winter 021 361 3667

MONUMENT - Sunday lunch with Voortrekkers, in their style, at their monument 012 321 6230

Go back

A Capital Offence

Name changes have been ongoing in South Africa since the demise of apartheid and nowhere has this issue been more of a social and political hot potato than in the capital itself. Traditionally South Africa has three capitals, dating back to the Union in 1910. Both the Boer states and Britain wanted to cling onto their capitals so a compromise was reached, making Pretoria the administrative, Cape Town the legislative and Bloemfontein the judicial capital. This situation persists but further confusion now reigns as Pretoria is apparently in the process, in the face of much opposition, of changing its name to Tshwane. As if we haven’t got enough problems, we don’t even know what our capital city is called any more!