Pretoria
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
Main destinations
Cape Town
Kruger Park
Johannesburg
Sun City
St Lucia
Garden Route
Durban
Pretoria
By Province
Eastern Cape
Free State
Gauteng
KwaZulu-Natal
Limpopo
Mpumalanga
Northern Cape
North West Province
Western Cape
The quaint little town of Cullinan owes its existence to the Premier Diamond Mine. This mine is world-famous for the 1902 find of the largest diamond ever discovered, the 3106 carat flawless Cullinan diamond. Since then, the mine has produced numerous famous gems, such as the Centenary, Golden Jubelee, Niarchos, Premier Rose. But this mine is not only famous for its large stones, but also for its 'fancy'-coloured gems, of which the blue varieties are particularly sought after.
Tours of the mine are available.
South Africa
Cities
Cape Town
Johannesburg
Durban
Pretoria
Port Elizabeth
Attractions
Kruger National Park
Garden Route
St Lucia
Drakensberg
Wild Coast
Battlefields
Sun City & Pilanesberg
Provinces
Eastern Cape
Free State
Gauteng
KwaZulu-Natal
Limpopo
Mpumalanga
Northern Cape
North West province
Western Cape
Named after the famous Melrose Abbey in Scotland, Melrose House was built in 1886 by prosperous Pretoria businessman George Jesse Heys. Today this elegant house museum stands as a superb example of the transition of Victorian to Edwardian architectural styles and interiors. The interior is characterised by colourful stained glass windows, paintings by English artists, carpets in rich colours, ornate ceilings and fireplaces, as well as valuable porcelain ornaments, the majority of which belonged to the Heys family.
Designed by Sir Herbert Baker and completed in 1913. Considered by many to be the architect's greatest achievement & South Africa's architectural masterpiece. This was the setting for President Nelson Mandela's historic inauguration in 1994. The spacious, terraced gardens command fine views of the city.
The building's name comes from the time of the South African Union, which was only changed in 1961 to the current name, the Republic of South Africa.
Kruger House is the historical Pretoria residence of the Afrikaner leader and President of the South African Republic, Paul Kruger. It was built in 1884 by architect Tom Claridge and builder Charles Clark. Milk was used, instead of water, for mixing the cement from which the house was constructed, as the cement available was of poor quality. The house was also one of the first in Pretoria to be lit by electricity. The house contains either the original furnishings or items from the same historical period, some of the many gifts that were presented to Kruger as well as other memorabilia.
For many years an ominous symbol of Boer domination, the monument is now more generally accepted as one of South Africa's many cultural waypoints, and a visit does allow you a penetrative insight into the Afrikaner mindset. The striking, austere block of granite was built in 1940 to commemorate the Boer victory over the Zulu army at Blood River on December 16, 1838, and its symbolism is crushingly heavy-handed. The monument is enclosed by reliefs of ox wagons, with a large statue of a woman standing outside, shaking her fist at imaginary oppressors. Inside, a series of moving reliefs depict scenes from the Great Trek.
This is one of the most famous zoos in the world and the largest in South Africa. The most interesting feature of the zoo is the aquarium and reptile park. Visitors can also take a ride in the famous cable cars which provide excellent views of the zoo and city. See the koala bear from Australia, which is not found anywhere in Africa.