ABOUT PRETORIA

Below you can find general information on Pretoria. Please follow the links below.

Wikipedia description : Description from SoE : Description from South African Tourism

(From http://www.ceroi.net/reports/pretoria/gen/ab_pret.htm)

Pretoria - rainbow microcosm of cultures and window on Africa offers you a glittering treasure trove of breathtaking adventures, unique experiences and unforgettable memories. Built on the foundations of a colourful yet controversial past and evolving into a dynamic future, the Jacaranda City (affectionately named after its famous trees), could easily be described as a country in one city.

Nestled among a series of picturesque ridges, lush fertile valleys and natural fountains, Pretoria's cosmopolitan, harmonious and vibrant atmosphere comes from a unique blend of traditions, cultures, languages and architecture.

It is a capital city, a cultural hub, a centre of research and learning, but much more than this it is a friendly city with open streets, open spaces and open-hearted people. A people's city for both young and old.

Experience Pretoria in October, when thousands of Jacaranda trees (Jacaranda mimosifolia, fam. Rignonia) burst into bloom. As far as the eye can see the city is enveloped in a magical mauve haze, heralding the arrival of spring and the promise of summer just around the corner. Walk in the footsteps of colourful heroes, follow the tracks of exotic game, dance and gamble the night away or sip cocktails in breathtaking scenery. Whatever your fancy, Pretoria has it all!

Quick Fact Reference:

• Pretoria was founded in 1855
• The city is named after Andries Pretorius, a Voortrekker leader
• Capital of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek from 1860-1910
• Administrative capital of the Union of South Africa from 1910-1961
• Administrative capital of the Republic of south Africa from 1961
• Currently, the administrative capital of South Africa and seat of the first democratically elected Government of National Unity
• Population in excess of 1.6 million
• The Greater Pretoria Metropolitan Area exceeds 900 square kilometres
• Situation: 1,370 metres above sea level
• Average summer temperatures 15°C - 28°C
• Average winter temperatures 6°C - 23°C
• A summer rainfall region 700mm per annum
• Distances:
  Johannesburg International Airport: 47km
  Harare 1052km
  Johannesburg 45km
  Kruger National Park 360km
  Cape Town 1500km
  Durban 660km
  Windhoek 1898km
  Gaberone 307km
• English, Afrikaans and Sotho are the most widely spoken languages

(From http://www.southafrica.info/plan_trip/holiday/cities/pretoria.htm )

Known as the Jacaranda City for all the purple blossom-bedecked trees which line its thoroughfares, Pretoria is a lovely, quiet city. It has a long, involved and fascinating history.

Here you will find many significant old buildings and some fascinating museums. The Transvaal Museum has wonderful natural history displays and is the home of Mrs Ples, the australopithecine fossil found at Sterkfontein in the Cradle of Humankind. Also worth visiting are the Cultural History Museum and the Smuts Museum, just outside town.

Probably the most heartening thing about the new government in South Africa is that, unlike many successful revolutionaries, we have not gone on an iconoclastic, monument-topping orgy. The Union

Buildings changed overnight from a symbol of white, neo-colonial unity to one of true unity, and the iconic Voortrekker Monument still stands.

Ironically, though, the bust of one of apartheid's most ardent supporters, JG Strydom, which stood in Strydom Square near the State Theatre, toppled without any help other than gravity and the erosive quality of time on steel supports - on the 40th anniversary of the day South Africa became a white-governed republic.

It's a great town - there are quite a few open spaces where you can walk or mountain bike. Nearby is the Premier Game Reserve, next door to the Cullinan Diamond Mine, where the largest diamond in the world was found.

You could do a short horse trail at the Voortrekker Monument or through the Premier Reserve, taking a careful look at some white rhino and a number of eland - which are pretty much the size of a big horse. You could do a tandem skydive or a first jump at the Pretoria Skydiving Club, which is the largest in the country.

Source: South African Tourism

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Last updated: February 26, 2007 11:04:00