Pretoria Special Tour

Pretoria (Tshwane), in Gauteng Province, is the administrative capital of South Africa. Known as "Jacaranda City" for its thousands of jacaranda trees, it's also home to universities and government buildings. The semicircular Union Buildings encompass the president's offices and hosted Nelson Mandela's inauguration. Nearby is the Voortrekker Monument, honoring 19th-century Afrikaans settlers from the Cape Colony.

Itinerary
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Stop At: Voortrekker Monument, Eeufees Road Groenkloof 358-Jr, Pretoria 0187 South Africa

The majestic Voortrekker Monument is situated in the northern part of South Africa in the Pretoria (Tshwane) region in a nature reserve. It is a unique Monument which commemorates the Pioneer history of Southern Africa and the history of the Afrikaner and is situated in a beautiful setting.

The Monument was inaugurated in 1949. It was designed by architect Gerard Moerdijk. In the Hall of Heroes is the world’s longest historical marble frieze. A tapestry with more than three million stitches is housed in the Cenotaph Hall.

Today it is the most visited heritage site of its kind in Gauteng and one of the top ten cultural historical visitor attractions in the country. It is also the only Grade 1 national Heritage Site in Pretoria. The Monument also manages the Blood River Heritage Site.

Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Kruger House Museum, 60 Church Street, Pretoria 0081 South Africa

This modest and informative house museum in downtown Pretoria outlines the life and times of the 19th-century Afrikaans leader and Transvaal President Paul Kruger.

The bungalow-style home was built for the large Kruger family in 1884 by English-speaking architect Charles Clark, who legend has it used to mix his cement with milk rather than water. The long veranda in front of the house is its most famous feature and it is said that the president loved nothing more than to spend time here chatting to passers-by.

Inside the house, period furniture and personal items show how the Kruger family lived in a style that was for the time extremely modern.

Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Union Buildings, Government Avenue, Pretoria 0083 South Africa

Pretoria’s Union Buildings, the official seat of the national government, house the offices of the South African president and are located atop the Meintjieskop in the Arcadia suburb of Tshwane. An important South African heritage site, the impressive building is surrounded by pretty terraced gardens that offer panoramic views over the city.

The Union Buildings are one of the most recognisable and impressive heritage landmarks in Tshwane. The 285m-long sandstone building was designed by Sir Herbert Baker in 1910 to mark the Union of South Africa. The neo-classical design of the semi-circular building reflects the British imperial tastes of the time and the site itself, high on a central ridge looking out over the city, was chosen thanks to its similarity to the location of the acropolis in Athens. The two wings of the building and their twin domed towers are said to represent the Afrikaans and English languages, joined together by a central curved courtyard, symbolic of the union of the communities following years of war.

Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Church Square, Stanza Bopape Street, Pretoria 0186 South Africa

Church Square in central Pretoria was the site of the city’s first church, built in 1855. During its early years, the square was used as a marketplace and sports field and today is the grandest civic square in the city and among the great attractions in Gauteng.

For visitors who adore 19th century and early 20th century architecture, Church Square is one of the must-see places to visit in Gauteng. The square is surrounded by historical buildings in varying neo-classical architectural styles, including the impressive Palace of Justice where former president Nelson Mandela and several of his comrades were tried and charged for treason during the infamous Rivonia Trial, the Old Capitol Theatre and the Ou Raadsaal (Old Government) building. Other notable buildings include the Old Nederlandsche Bank building, home to the offices to Tshwane Tourism and the General Post Office, which was erected in 1910.

Duration: 30 minutes