Buzz Around - Pretoria / Tswane

Affectionately known as the Jacaranda City for all the purple blossom-bedecked trees, which line its thoroughfares in summer, Pretoria is an elegant, quiet city that's a perfect contrast with its more frenetic neighbour, Johannesburg, just half an hour away. Pretoria has a long, involved and fascinating history - first as the capital of the independent Boer republic of the Transvaal, then as one of the three capitals of South Africa, it became an international synonym for apartheid. But that all changed in 1994. With Nelson Mandela's inauguration, the Union Buildings morphed overnight from a symbol of white, neo-colonial domination to one of true unity. And it's only one of the many landmarks in this cultural city.

The Union Building with its imposing colonnades, occupies a commanding position on Meintjieskop, east of the city.

The Union Building overlooks Pretoria, the administrative capital of the Republic of South Africa. Considering its history and symbolism, no other building in Pretoria could be more suitable to house the Office of the State President of the Republic of South Africa.

In the heart of the city is Church Square with its statue of Paul Kruger. Clustered around the Square are several historic buildings built in the late 1880’s and 1890’s. Among them the impressive Palace of Justice, the Raadsaal, or House of Parliament and State Bank and Mint.

Voortrekker Monument

The solid shape of the Voortrekker Monument on a hill outside of the city dominates the skyline towards the south-west. The monument is a tribute to the Voortrekkers (early pioneers) who carried western civilization to the interior of South Africa during the Great Trek. The Great Trek started in 1835/36 and eventually some 6000 white people (mainly stock farmers and their families) left for the interior of South Africa with all their possessions. These pioneers were of Dutch, German and French descent and some were of the 1820 Settlers from Britain.