The Ultimate Guide to Pretoria
Pretoria is affectionately known as Jacaranda City because of the thousands of lilac-bloomed Jacaranda trees that create its distinctive character when the trees are in full bloom in October and November. The city is one of South Africa’s three major capital centres and the administrative centre of the country. It is a sedate city, a little less frenetic than Johannesburg but delightful nonetheless.
Pretoria has a strong Afrikaans heritage and was once the epicentre of the apartheid regime. In 1910, the Boer Republics of the ZAR and the Orange River Colony united with the Cape Colony and Natal Colony to become the Union of South Africa. Pretoria became the administrative capital of the country, while Cape Town retained its status as the legislative capital and Bloemfontein the judicial capital. Pretoria was awarded official city status in 1931.
Today, Pretoria has taken on a more cosmopolitan feel, particularly with the abundance of young students who attend the large state university. As the administrative capital of government, the dominant Afrikaans culture is diluted by increasing numbers of Black civil servants who have made the city their place of residence. It is also home to many of the major international Embassies which attracts foreign workers to the city centre.
Its rich history of territorial battles played a role in shaping its architectural character. Splendid historical buildings from the 19th century Dutch, German and British colonial period stand alongside modern, art deco buildings. This architectural mix gives the city its uniquely South African essence.
The greater central business region was renamed Tshwane but the majority of South Africans still refer to it as Pretoria. The city is situated in the northern part of Gauteng Province and is home to the Union Buildings and the executive branch of government. It is also known as an academic city with three universities and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) located in its eastern suburbs.
The city of Pretoria lies in a transitional belt between the plateau of the Highveld to the south and the Lowveld to the north-east. It lies nestled in a warm, sheltered and highly fertile valley which is flanked by the majestic Magaliesberg mountain range.
The region enjoys a temperate subtropical climate and is a summer rainfall region (October to April). Temperatures can drop quite significantly in the early evenings of the winter months (May to September) but the days are usually mild and warm. Due to its wonderful climate, the city of Pretoria is a magnificent greenbelt region, characterised by an abundance of trees and lush tropical suburban gardens and public parks.
HOW PRETORIA GOT ITS NAME
Marthinus Wessel Pretorius founded Pretoria in 1855 and named it in honour of his father, Andries Pretorius. Marthinus was a leader of the Voortrekkers and the first Pretoria Magistrate, and later president of the Transvaal Republic. The original name of the city, Pretoriusdorp (town), was eventually shortened to Pretoria.
Marthinus chose a site on the banks of the Apies River (Monkey River) to be the new capital of the South African Republic (ZAR). Holding the position of Magistrate, he was instrumental in the design and layout of the city of Pretoria. The city was laid out on his family farm ‘Elandsfontein’ on which Meintjieskop (kop meaning hill) stands. His father acquired the farm in exchange for a Basuto pony. The farm was renamed Arcadia and later sold to Stephanus Meintjies, after whom the hill is named.
Andries Pretorius was regarded by the Voortrekkers as a national hero after his successful defeat of Dingane and the Zulus in the Battle of Blood River. He negotiated the Sand River Convention in 1852 in which Britain conceded the independence of the Transvaal to the Voortrekker leaders. The city is steeped in rich history where ruins and monuments pay homage to the great battles that played out between the Boers (Afrikaans “Farmers”) and British soldiers in the First and Second Boer Wars.
The Second Boer War saw the end of the Transvaal Republic and the start of British domination, when the city surrendered to British forces under Frederick Roberts in June 1900. The conflict ended with the signing of the Peace of Vereeniging Treaty in May 1902.
HISTORICAL LANDMARKS OF PRETORIA
Pretoria was for many years the cornerstone of great conflict and battles for dominance. A tour of Pretoria includes visits to the many buildings and historical landmarks that held court to this epic period in its history.
The Palace of Justice
This resplendent building dates back to the 19th century and was designed by the Dutch architect Sytze Wierda. It stands as the northern façade of Church Square and is currently the headquarters of the Gauteng Division of the High Court of South Africa. The foundation stone was laid in June 1897 by the then-president of the South African Republic, Paul Kruger.
The Palace of Justice is most famous for being the venue of the Rivonia Trial, where Nelson Mandela and other prominent members of the African National Congress (ANC) were charged with treason and subsequently incarcerated.
It was built during the Second Boer War and was used initially as a hospital for British soldiers. The interior is characterised by an ornate combination of polished wood, brass fixtures, stained glass windows and highly-polished tiled floors.
Union Buildings
These splendid buildings house the offices of the President of South Africa and are the official seat of the South African government. The Union Buildings are located high on a hill known as Meintjieskop which is close to the historic Church Square and the Voortrekker Monument. The site was originally a disused stone quarry and the layout of the existing excavations created the amphitheatre that was enhanced by ornamental pools, fountains, sculptures, balustrades and large, towering trees.
The stately buildings are surrounded by lush gardens and overlook the beautiful city of Pretoria. Built in a semi-circular shape, the buildings glimmer in the evening light with its imposing façade of light sandstone. The design of each level is different and each stone used to craft the façade of the building had to be individually cut. The windows from the bottom to the top are elongated and become shorter towards the top floor. This feature gives the illusion of height.
The Union Buildings were designed by the Sir Herbert Baker and are regarded as an architectural masterpiece. It is the venue of the Presidential inaugurations and has become an iconic symbol of the country’s fledgling democracy; marked in history by the inauguration of the first Black president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela.
Sir Herbert Baker originally wanted the buildings to be built using imported granite but this was vetoed by the powers on the basis that anything other than South African stone for the most important government building would be sacrilege. The granite stone was obtained from the local mountain quarry located near the site of the building project.
The east and west wings, aswell as the twin-domed towers, were meant to represent the two dominant groups in South Africa, the Afrikaans and the English. The inner court was designed to symbolise the Union of South Africa. The impressive Union Buildings Amphitheatre was renamed the Nelson Mandela Amphitheatre in 1999 and a 9-metre high bronze statue of Mandela was erected in 2013. Finally the Union Buildings came to represent true unity and equality.
The twin statues on top of the domed towers are Atlas, holding up the world. The statue on the domed rostrum in the amphitheatre between the wings is Mercury, a mythic Roman messenger and a god of trade.
The Union Buildings are located in the suburb of Arcadia, which means “Playground of the Gods”. Pretoria has the second largest number of embassies in the world after Washington DC, and most are located in the same suburb as the Union Buildings.
The official offices of the president of South Africa are on the left-hand side of the Union Buildings and the South African flag is flown on this side of the building when the president is in office. There are three sections and each contains offices that face onto its own impressive courtyard. The central curved building houses the committee rooms, a library and conference rooms. The state kitchen, dining rooms and lounges are found on the basement level.
The interior of the Union Buildings are truly impressive, with an elegant mix of Cape Dutch features; carved teak fanlights, heavy wooden doors, and dark ceiling beams and heavy wood furniture that stand out in contrast to the stark white walls.
The design of the Union Buildings was based on the concept that a public building should be a national ornament which establishes an integrated nation, draws people and commerce to its feet and makes people love their country. In particular, it was designed at a time with the ideal of establishing a new and united nation. This is even truer today as it was then.
A memorial commemorating the Women’s March that took place in 1956 has been erected at the Union Buildings, honouring some 20 000 brave women who marched to the government premises to protest against the Pass Laws. This event is also commemorated by the public holiday National Women’s Day on 9 August.
The marching women chanted “wathint abafazi, wathint imbokodo” which means strike the women, strike the rock. The design of the memorial is cleverly based around the use of the imbokodo, a grinding stone that rural women used to grind maize. The imbokodo in the design represents nurture and sustenance, being the primary role of the women of South Africa.
Two sets of stairs lead up to the memorial and on each step, raised in bronzed letters, are the words from ‘The Demand of the Women of South Africa for the Withdrawal of Passes for Women and Repeal of the Pass Laws’. As you approach the imbokodo (grinding stone), an infrared beam is triggered and this sets off a recording of “whispered voices” that echo the women’s rally cry in all eleven official languages.
There are other significant statues in the terraced grounds, including a massive statue of General Louis Botha sitting atop his horse. Botha was the first prime minister of the Union of South Africa. The Delville Wood War Memorial is situated halfway up the terraces and pays tribute to the brave South African men and women who lost their lives in the First World War. There is also a bronze plaque that was laid in memory of those who died during the Korean War.
Voortrekker Monument
This spectacular granite structure sits atop a prominent hillside and was erected to commemorate the Voortrekkers who left the Cape Colony between 1835 and 1854 and trekked to the northern region. It was designed by the architect Gerard Moerdijk and declared a National Heritage site in 2011 by the South African Heritage Resource Agency.
The monument is 40 metres in height and the most impressive feature is the large amphitheatre that can seat up to 20 000 people. The architectural design mimics European monuments found in France and Germany but also features African influences. The two main points of interest inside the building are the Historical Frieze (mural) and the Cenotaph (commemorative plaque).
Visitors enter the main building through a large black wrought-iron gate with an assegai (spear) motif, and are confronted by the massive domed Hall of Heroes. This area is flanked by four imposing arched windows made from yellow Belgian glass and contains the unique marble Historical Frieze which is central to the design of the monument.
The Historical Frieze is the largest marble frieze in the world and consists of 27 bas-relief panels that tell the tale of the historical Great Trek. It also incorporates references to everyday life, work and the religious beliefs of the Voortrekkers. The different panels mark key historical scenes starting from the first Trek (journey) of 1835 to the signing of the Sand River Convention in 1852.
In the centre of the floor of the Hall of Heroes is a large circular opening where one can peer down to view the Cenotaph in the Cenotaph Hall below. The Cenotaph is an ingenious masterpiece that basks in the rays of the midday sunlight that shines through the opening in the floor. The light illuminates the wording on the plaque which is a call to bless the lives and endeavours of the Voortrekkers; ‘Ons vir jou, Suid-Afrika (We for thee, South Africa).
The Cenotaph was positioned to reflect the brightest light at 12pm every year on the 16 December. This was the date of the Battle of Blood River, and today is celebrated as the Day of the Vow. Decorative flags and wall tapestries adorn the Cenotaph Hall, depicting the Voortrekkers at different stages in that period. Display cases with artefacts from the Great Trek fill the room.
On the northern section of the hall, a lantern has been positioned in an indent in the wall. The flame has burnt ever since 1938 in honour of the Symbolic Ox Wagon Trek which started in Cape Town and ended in Monument Hill where a foundation stone was laid in honour of the original trekkers (travellers). The wagon laager wall features 64 wagons that are made from granite. These represent the number of ox wagons that were used at the Battle of Blood River to form a laager (protective circle) against invading British troops.
An imposing statue of a Voortrekker woman and her two children stands at the foot of the monument, paying homage to the strength and courage of the Voortrekker women. A black wildebeest is chiselled into the walls of the monument on both sides of the sculpture, proudly symbolising the dangers of Africa and the triumphant escape of the Afrikaans women from Western civilisation.
On each corner of the monument is a statue representing the leaders of the Voortrekkers; Piet Retief, Andries Pretorius, Hendrik Potgieter and an unknown leader. Each statue weighs approximately 6 tons. A foundation stone marks the significance of the structure on the eastern cornier of the monument. A copy of the Voortrekker Vow instated in December 1838 lies beneath the foundation stone, aswell as a copy of the national anthem of the Voortrekkers (Die Stem) and a copy of the land deal between the Voortrekkers and King Dingane.
The upper dome in the Hall of Heroes features Egyptian backlighting to simulate the sky, the heavenly abode of God. The sun rays create a connection between the words on the Cenotaph and the divine communication between God and man. Looking through the opening, one can count 32 rays of sunlight, with the sun ray on the Cenotaph representing the 33rd sun ray.
The architect Moerdijk incorporated this biblical theology to represent the two different ways God communicates with his earthly sons; through scripture and nature. Moerdijk’s original design had strong Egyptian influences and included a bizarre selection of obelisks. These were rejected and Moerdijk was forced to reign in his obsession with the African-Egyptian connection.
Moerdijk’s creation was designed with the intention of using the mid-day sun to illuminate the Aten-hieroglyph that is the Cenotaph. Together with the Historical Frieze, the collection of symbols and wording represents the exodus of the Voortrekkers from the British Colony and the creation of a new inland civilisation by God. In essence, Moerdijk created the Voortrekker Monument as an altar to glorify God’s creation of a place of freedom for the brave and displaced.
Other features at the monument include a Wall of Remembrance that honours those who lost their lives in the South African Defence Force during the period 11961 and 1994 while in service to the apartheid regime. Fort Schanskop built in 1897 by the government of the South African Republic after the Jameson Raid is now a museum. The Schanskop open-air amphitheatre hosts annual events to commemorate historical dates in the Voortrekker period.
The Voortrekker Monument is surrounded by a nature reserve that is home to indigenous wildlife, including zebra, blesbok, mountain reedbuck, springbok and impala. It was built to preserve the heritage of the Afrikaans-speaking population whose culture and heritage was formed in the historical Voortrekker period.
Pretoria City Hall
The Pretoria City Hall was built in 1931 and is the largest building in the city of Pretoria. It was inaugurated in 1935 as part of a celebration to commemorate Pretoria gaining metropolitan status. It is located close to Church Square and the Transvaal Museum. It was built over a period of four to five years due to tough economic times.
The city of Pretoria ran a competition for the design of a new city hall and the contract was awarded to the winning architect FG McIntosh. His design incorporated a semi-Italian classical style and includes features such as 32 tower bells that were donated by the former owner of Melrose House, George Heys.
Pretorius Square lies below the city hall and is an elegant space incorporating fountains and well-maintained gardens. Three statues of significant leaders decorate the park; Marthinus Pretorius who named the city in honour of his father; Andries Pretorius, a Voortrekker leader who was a driving force behind the Great Trek; and Chief Tshwane, a local Chieftain who represented the indigenous tribe in the area in that period.
Church Square
Originally known as Market Square, this historic landmark is located in the original heart of the city. Its founder, Marthinus Pretorius, created a space that the country folk could use as a market place and church yard. Local produce was brought to the market place by ox wagon; otherwise people used horse-drawn trams to get from the railway station to the market square. Electric trams started up in 1910.
Its name was changed to Church Square based on the number of churches that were built around the square between 1856 and 1905. Today, standing sentry in the centre of the square, is a massive statue of the late Boer leader and former president of South Africa, Paul Kruger. Four other statues of anonymous Boer soldiers stand alongside Paul Kruger on a slightly lower level.
In close proximity to Church Square are several historical buildings; The Palace of Justice, the Old Capital Theatre, the Tudor Chambers, the Ou Raadsaal (Council Chamber) and the General Post Office.
Ou Raadsaal
Ou Raadsaal (Old Council Chamber) was the first Parliament building of South Africa (since 1890) and was the official seat of the government of the Transvaal Republic. It has served all levels of government and was even used at one stage as the official seat of the British colonial powers. Paul Kruger added a third floor because he did not want the prestigious parliament offices to be lower than a nearby hotel.
A public gallery overlooks the main hall, and there are three balconies on the eastern side of the council chamber; two were used for the media and the middle one was for the exclusive use of Gezina, Paull Kruger’s wife. The hallways and staircases were opulently decorated in its days, and an extensive refurbishment in 1992 saw the grand building and its interiors returned to its former glory.
Transvaal Museum
The Transvaal Museum was founded in 1892 and was called the Staatsmuseum (State Museum). It was originally housed in the upper floor of the Ou Raadsaal but it was moved to a new location when it became too small for the extensive collection of Transvaal memorabilia. The Transvaal Museum was amalgamated with the National Cultural History Museum and renamed the Ditson National Museum of Natural History. The museum is housed in a building known as The African Window and is a must-see attraction for anyone interested in archaeology.
Fossils housed at the museum have been collected from late Permian therapsids (proto-mammals from the Karoo) and from the Plio-Pleistocene era which includes hominids from Sterkfontein, Swartkrans and Kromdraai in the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Cradle of Mankind. The complete skull of an Australopithecus Africanus specimen, Mrs Ples, is also on display.
In addition to fossils, there is an extensive collection of indigenous mammals, birds, reptiles and early domesticated animals. Historical documents and archaeological archives are on display and interesting audio-visuals add to the overall appeal.
Melrose House
This stately mansion that is now a national museum is located in Burgers Park. It was named by its wealthy owner after the famous Melrose Abbey in Scotland. Built in 1886 by George Jesse Heys, Melrose House was famously requisitioned by Lord Roberts to serve as the headquarters for the British Forces who invaded Pretoria in the Second Boer War (1899-1902). It was at Melrose House that the Treaty of Vereeniging was signed which ended the brutal war.
Melrose House is worth a visit if only to admire the stately interior; with bright stained-glass windows, rich colourful carpets, and ornate ceilings and fireplaces. Paintings by famous English artists adorn the walls and valuable porcelain ornaments that belonged to the Heys family remain safely ensconced in protected displays. You can also visit the room that was the meeting place of a powerful alliance group and admire the table around which they gathered to sign the history-making Treaty.
Pretoria Forts
Four defensive forts were built by the government of the South African Republic (ZAR) in 1899 just before the outbreak of the Second Anglo-Boer War. The government was concerned for the safety of its people in the northern region after the devastating Jameson Raid. The construction of the forts was in anticipation of invasions by foreign forces that were referred to as Uitlanders.
A original plan was to fortify eight strategic positions around the city with armoured turrets equipped with artillery. The armoured turrets were not deemed effective so two German engineers were tasked with building the Pretoria Forts.
Three of the forts were designed to have greater fire-range capabilities where attacks from any direction could be warded off using revolving guns on their ramparts. Loopholes, trenches, barb-wire entanglements and fortified rooms reinforced the defensive capabilities, and the forts were equipped with devices for communication to forewarn the military forces of invasive forces.
The fourth fort was powered by a generator which provided enough power to run a search light. A smaller group of men were based at this fort which was armed with a cannon, a few hand-cranked machine guns and a gun known colloquially as a “Long Tom”.
A statue of one of the military leaders, Danie Theron, stands sentry at Fort Schanskop and there is a scale model replica of the Trek Monument. This fort is a Gauteng Provincial Heritage Site and a provincial heritage site.
Pretoria Art Museum
This prestigious art gallery is located in Arcadia and spans an entire city block. It was originally established in the 1930s to house the City Council of Pretoria’s art collection. The modern concrete and glass structure was very avant-garde for that time period and a complex technological accomplishment.
Lady Michaelis bequeathed a large collection of artwork after the death of her husband, Sir Max Michaelis. It includes 17th-century work of the North Dutch School and valuable South African pieces by Henk Pierneef, Pieter Wenning, Frans Oerder, Anton van Wouw and Irma Stern. More contemporary artwork has been added to the collection as well as traditional art and crafts.
ACADEMIC HUB OF GAUTENG PROVINCE
Pretoria is most well-known as a “varsity city” and young, festive students are everywhere. The majority of them attend the University of Pretoria (formerly known as Tukkies, a nickname for the Transvaal University College) which was established in 1908.
The first intake of the newly-independent University of Pretoria was just over 32 students and they were housed in an old Victorian house. The university only had 4 professors and 3 lecturers. Today, the number of students attending the University of Pretoria is close to 40 000 and there are 9 faculty campuses spread over more than 1 000 hectares.
The only learning franchise in the early 1900s was the South African School of Mines and Technology, which makes sense as this was the era of the gold rush. General Jan Smuts decreed that the Pretoria campus would operate as a separate entity which led to both the Johannesburg and Pretoria campuses becoming independent institutions.
The first campus building for students was located in Hatfield. This striking building resembled the Cape Dutch and Neo-Romanesque architectural style and has since been declared a provincial heritage site. Today, the University of Pretoria has 9 academic faculties and a business school that is consistently ranked in the top 50 in the world. It also boasts the second oldest veterinary school in Africa that was established in 1920.
It was originally established as an English medium institution but due to a dramatic increase in the intake of Afrikaans-speaking students in the 1930s, English as a language medium was abolished. All lectures were conducted in Afrikaans and for many years it functioned as an exclusive university for the White Afrikaner population.
With the dawn of a new democratic South Africa, the University of Pretoria has been transformed into a bilingual and multiracial learning institution.
HOME OF THE BLUE BULLS
The people of Pretoria are passionate – no, make that obsessed – with rugby and almost everyone is a proud Blue Bull supporter (name of the regional rugby team). It’s not uncommon to see a pair of blue bull balls hanging from the tow hitches of cars and trucks – plastic ones, of course.
The home of the Blue Bulls rugby franchise is the impressive Loftus Versfeld Stadium which was named in honour of Robert Loftus Owen Versfeld, a man that did so much to develop organised sport in the region. The original structure was built in 1923 by the City Council and could only seat about 2 000 rugby supporters.
Today, the stadium has capacity to seat just over 50 000 rugby fans and has an impressive selection of exclusive “boxes”(suites) for VIP guests and corporate firms. It is occasionally used for soccer matches and hosted the opening round games for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
THE HEART OF JACARANDA CITY
Johannesburg is regarded as the economic hub of South Africa but Pretoria is fast catching up as a desired location for multi-national corporate head offices and major financial institutions. There are a number of tall skyscrapers, including the Poyntons Building (110m tall), the ABSA Building (132m tall) and the Reserve Bank of South Africa building (150m tall).
The Lukasrand Tower is an impressive structure and a feature of Pretoria’s skyline. It serves as a wireless telecommunications system for microwave and mobile phone transmissions, and is the property of the state telecommunication enterprise, Telkom SA.
The Lukasrand Tower has an observation deck that offers visitors panoramic views of the city and the Magaliesberg Mountains in the far distance. In 2010, it sported a 24-metre, eight-storey high fibreglass soccer ball for the duration of the FIFA World Cup Tournament.
Historical landmarks, heritage buildings and museums stand alongside modern buildings with retro architectural flair. Sprawling suburbs spread out over rolling hills and, of course, the Jacaranda trees dominate the lush, tropical scenery.
The residential suburbs now engulf the National Zoological Gardens of South Africa and the Pretoria National Botanical gardens. Previously known as The Pretoria Zoo, the National Zoological Gardens of South Africa is a world-renowned zoo that is spread over 85 hectares. It is highly regarded by international conservation groups and is the 8th largest zoo in the world.
The zoo is located on a farm that was called Klein Schoemansdal and was the property of past-president Stephanus Schoeman. It was acquired by the state in 1895 and the zoological gardens were developed just as the Second Boer War started in 1899. It was officially renamed National Zoological Gardens of South Africa in 1916.
At least half of the zoo is situated on the slopes of a hill which is separated from the flat ground by the Apies River (Monkey River). The grounds are so expansive that visitors hire golf carts to get around. A cable car system links the bottom of the zoo to the exhibits on top of the hill. There are two restaurants for hungry tourists or you can have a picnic in a designated area on the banks of the river.
A few of the main attractions include a walk-through and bird of prey aviary, a primate enclosure and a predator enclosure. The zoo is home to mostly indigenous wildlife and birds but there are smaller enclosures for exotics such as pudús, ruffed lemurs, red pandas, marmosets and tamarins, kangaroos and emus. There are also two impressive aquariums and a fascinating reptile park.
Another beautiful attraction is the Pretoria National Botanical Gardens, one of nine in the country. The lush gardens are spread over 76 hectares and are flanked by a rocky ridge that runs from east to west. It is made up of a vast array of ecosystems including a wetland, cycad garden, succulent garden, a garden of medicinal plants and indigenous garden plants.
There is a good restaurant on the property, a concert stage, a tea garden and a function hall that is popular for weddings and private functions. A massive artificial waterfall was created next to the impressive hall. Parts of the botanical gardens have been left undeveloped with natural grasslands and a walking trail that takes visitors along the central ridge.
Burgers Park is a 4-acre greenbelt area that was established in the 1870s as a botanical garden. It was named after Thomas François Burgers, fourth president of the South African Republic. A statue of President Burgers was erected in the grounds, aswell as a statue to commemorate the South African Scottish Regiment of the Second World War.
Freedom Park is situated in Salvokop and here you can find a memorial site with a list of the names of those killed in the South African Wars, World War I and II and those who lost their lives at the hands of the apartheid regime.
Kruger House is a live historical museum and a popular attraction for visitors spending time in the beautiful country surrounds of Centurion. It is the historical residence of former president of the South African Republic, Paul Kruger. Curators of the museum have recreated his family home exactly as it was all those years ago.
Apart from the more formal botanical parks, Pretoria is renowned for its natural reserves and wild greenbelt areas. These include Groenkloof, Rietvlei, Moreleta Spruit, Faerie Glen, Wonderboom Nature Reserve and the Austin Roberts Bird Sanctuary.
Once you have had your fill of the historical sites, monuments and museums and have taken in the splendours of its gorgeous surrounds; it is time to head to the shops. Pretoria is the ultimate shopping destination with a mind-blowing selection of enormous malls. Menlyn Park has recently been refurbished and increased in size, and is bigger and better than its Johannesburg rivals, Sandton City and The Mall of Africa.
Locals and foreign visitors are spoilt for choice in Pretoria with a vast selection of outstanding restaurants, entertainment complexes and retail outlets that stock international brands. Expansive dual-carriage highways and wide suburban streets ensure visitors are treated to a world-class experience. The private medical facilities in Pretoria are top-notch and ensure international visitors are guaranteed to receive first-world medical care and treatment.
BEST TIME TO VISIT PRETORIA
The best time to visit Pretoria is during the Spring season (September/October) when the Jacaranda trees are in full bloom. There are over 70 000 Jacaranda trees in Pretoria and the delicate lilac-coloured blossoms are a spectacular sight. The streets of Pretoria are transformed into a magical purple carpet when the fragile blossoms fall to the ground.
Pretoria is located in a summer rainfall region and there is nothing more exhilarating than experiencing an electrical storm in the afternoon after a hot, sunny day. Flashes of light bounce across the sky and booming thunder drowns out the noise of the busy city.
If you prefer to explore Pretoria in the cooler months, April and May is a wonderful time to visit the city. The autumn season has lost its hot, sticky edge and heavy rains have abated. Winters in Pretoria are usually mild and dry, although temperatures can drop quite considerable when the sun goes down. Dress in layers and bring a warm jacket and boots for the chilly evenings.
