Page 326 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - South Africa

324  GA UTENG , LIMPOPO AND MPUM ALANGA

6 Pretoria P City Hall
Paul Kruger St.
The monuments and grandiose official buildings, some The imposing City Hall was built
dating back to the 1800s, are softened by Pretoria’s many in 1931 in Neo-Classical style. In
parks and gardens. Each spring, the flowers of the jacaranda front of it stand two statues
trees add splashes of lilac to the streets of South Africa’s depicting Marthinus Pretorius,
founder of the city, and his father,
administrative capital, which is also one of the country’s Andries. A statue of the mythical
foremost academic centres. The South African government chief Tshwane stands nearby.
has changed the name of the larger municipality to Tshwane,
the Setswana name of the Apies River, but the city centre E National Museum of
itself has retained the name Pretoria. Natural History
432 Paul Kruger St. Tel 012 322 7632.
Open 8am–4pm daily. Closed Good
Fri, 25 Dec. & 7 ∑ ditsong.org.za
This natural history museum
has a remarkable collection
of stuffed animals, as well as
per manent archaeological and
geological exhibitions.
Many of South Africa’s indi-
genous birds are displayed in
the Austin Roberts Bird Hall.
P Melrose House
275 Jeff Masemola St. Tel 012 322
2805. Open 10am–5pm Tue–Sun.
Closed public hols. & -
∑ melrosehouse.co.za
In the 1880s, British architect
Paul Kruger Monument, Church Square, Pretoria William Vale designed this home
for transport contractor George
Exploring Pretoria the British. Anton van Wouw’s Heys. The house, featuring nearly
Historic buildings, gracious statue of Paul Kruger was cast in all forms of precast embellish-
parks, theatres and restaurants Italy in 1899, the year the ment available, was inspired by
can be found throughout this Transvaal Republic went to war Cape Dutch architecture, English
elegant, compact city, which against the British Empire. country houses and Indian
centres on the attractive, pavilions. Today, the museum still
pedestrianized Church Square. F South African State has many of its original contents.
Theatre During the South African
O National Zoological Pretorius St. Tel 012 392 4000. War, Melrose House was the
Gardens ∑ statetheatre.co.za residence of Lord Kitchener,
232 Boom St. Tel 012 339 2700. This Japanese-style complex has British commander-in-chief.
Open 8:30am–5:30pm daily. & five theatres where ballets, dramas, It was here that the Treaty of
7 0 = ∑ nzg.ac.za operas, musicals and classical Vereeniging was signed on
Better-known as Pretoria Zoo, concerts are performed regularly. 31 May 1902, ending the war.
this parkland lies in the heart of
the city on the bank of the Apies Ndebele Arts and Crafts
River. One of the top ten zoos in
the world, it is very conservation The Ndebele are noted for their colourful dress and their art, which
conscious. Much time and effort includes sculpted figurines, pottery, beadwork, woven
is spent on breeding programmes mats, and their celebrated wall painting (see
of rare or endangered species p413). An out standing example is
such as the Cape mountain zebra the beaded nguba, a “marriage
and the stately Arabian oryx. blanket” which the bride-to-be,
inspired by her ancestors, makes
P Church Square under the supervision and
Cnr WF Nkomo and Paul Kruger sts. instruction of the older women in
Among the buildings on the her tribe. Traditionally, the women
work the land and are the principal
square are the Raadsaal (1890), decorators and artists, while the men
one-time parliament of the fashion metal orna ments such as the
former Boer Republic, and the heavy bracelets, anklets and neck
Palace of Justice (1899), used as Typical Ndebele art rings that are worn by women.
a military hospital until 1902 by
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp389–90 and pp408–10

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