Gauteng, South Africa · ZA

Pretoria

South Africa's administrative capital, framed by jacaranda-lined streets

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History & Heritage

Jacaranda City and the Seat of Government

Pretoria was founded on 18 November 1855 by Voortrekker leader Marthinus Wessel Pretorius, who named the town after his father, Andries Pretorius, the Voortrekker commander who had defeated Zulu forces at the Battle of Blood River in 1838. On 1 May 1860 the town became the capital of the Boer-ruled South African Republic.

Pretoria was fought over twice by Britain and the Boer republics. During the First Boer War the town was besieged before the conflict ended with the Pretoria Convention of 1881. In the Second Boer War, British forces under Lord Roberts captured Pretoria on 5 June 1900; the war ended with the Treaty of Vereeniging, signed on 31 May 1902 in the dining room of Melrose House.

When the four former Boer republics and British colonies unified as the Union of South Africa in 1910, Pretoria was made the country's administrative capital. In 1994, Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as the country's first democratically elected president on the terrace of the Union Buildings, Herbert Baker's grandest colonial-era structure. Today Pretoria is home to 134 foreign embassies, the second-largest concentration of diplomatic missions after Washington, D.C.

Pretoria's nickname comes from the roughly 60,000-70,000 jacaranda trees that line its streets each spring. The first two were planted in 1888 in a Sunnyside garden, and a citywide planting programme had put roughly 55,000 trees in the ground by 1971.

Key Historical Places

Places of Significance

Union Buildings

Herbert Baker's sandstone seat of government, built 1908-1913 on Meintjieskop. Nelson Mandela was inaugurated here on 10 May 1994; a nine-metre bronze Mandela statue was unveiled in 2013.

Government Seat Free Public Gardens Mandela History

↑ Visit the terraced gardens around the buildings, generally open to the public.

Voortrekker Monument

A 62m granite monument built 1937-1949 commemorating the Great Trek, with the world's largest marble frieze inside. Each 16 December at noon, a sunbeam illuminates the cenotaph.

National Heritage Site Great Trek History

↑ Time your visit for around noon on 16 December to see the solar-beam ceremony.

Church Square

The old republic's civic heart, laid out by founder Marthinus Pretorius; a bronze Paul Kruger statue is ringed by the Palace of Justice, Ou Raadsaal and General Post Office.

Free Public Square Rivonia Trial History

↑ Walk the square's perimeter to see all four historic government buildings.

Melrose House

Built in 1886, used by Lord Roberts as his headquarters after occupying Pretoria in 1900; the Treaty of Vereeniging ending the Second Boer War was signed here on 31 May 1902.

Boer War History Period House Museum

↑ Ask staff to point out the room where the Treaty of Vereeniging was signed.

Kruger House Museum

Built in 1884, home to President Paul Kruger from 1884 until 1900; two stone lions gifted by Barney Barnato flank the front porch.

Presidential History National Heritage Site

↑ Look for the Barnato lions and the porch where Kruger received visitors.

Timeline

18 Nov 1855
Marthinus Wessel Pretorius founds Pretoria on the Apies River
1 May 1860
Pretoria becomes capital of the South African Republic
3 Aug 1881
Pretoria Convention signed, ending the First Boer War
5 Jun 1900
British forces under Lord Roberts capture Pretoria
31 May 1902
Treaty of Vereeniging signed at Melrose House
1910
Pretoria becomes administrative capital of the Union of South Africa
14 Oct 1931
Pretoria granted official city status
10 May 1994
Nelson Mandela inaugurated at the Union Buildings

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