Pretoria, South Africa is the capital city for the executive branch. The legislative and judiciary branches are headquartered in other cities. That’s one thing that makes South Africa unique. My great grandfather recorded the last six months of his time as a missionary in South Africa, starting with time in Pretoria. This is also where I began my adventure. Following his journal entries, I walked in his steps through buildings and places he experienced more than 100 years ago. Things have definitely changed since then, but I could feel him with me at times as I made the journey.
Union Buildings
The most iconic South African architecture or buildings are the Union Buildings in Pretoria. These lovely structures are the seat to the executive of the country. Any story about Nelson Mandela features these buildings. They are woven into South Africa’s history just like Robben Island and Table Mountain. The buildings are lovely. The red stone offset against the green terraces in front of it is truly striking.
When my great grandfather was there, the buildings were under construction, almost completed. He even took a photo of them, which was published in a 1913 Pretoria guidebook. As part of my adventures, I successfully tracked down a copy of that book in the National Library to find his photograph. I visited these iconic buildings with friends who were hosting me in their B&B in Centurion, a suburb of Pretoria and Johannesburg. I enjoyed the stroll through the grounds and love the welcoming, smiling, giant Nelson Mandela in front.
Fun side note: This is also when I ate grapes in Pretoria 106 years to the date of my great grandfather recording that he enjoyed grapes in Pretoria.
Voortrekker Monument
With my friends, we also visited the Voortrekker Monument. This monolithic monument stands on a hill just outside of Pretoria starkly contrasting with the rolling green hills around it. Allegedly, the architect was inspired by Egyptian temples in his design. I don’t get
that vibe, but it is much prettier when closer. The small details including the choice of rusticated stone set against the fine stone lacework in the windows and the magnificent stonework on the main floor make it a beautiful building to visit.
Then, there’s the story behind the monument. I won’t go into much history, but it was built to commemorate the covenant made between the South African pioneers and God during harsh battles with the local peoples. The history is sad in many cases, and it is artfully displayed in a series of friezes inside the monument. No matter where you stand, this will remain an enduring monument to those people who settled in South Africa in its earliest days of European colonization.
If you visit the Voortrekker Monument, be sure to go upstairs and downstairs. Downstairs are displays about the pioneers and their journey. Upstairs is a balcony with spectacular views across the city of Pretoria and all around. The land the monument sits on is now a nature preserve, so this is also where I got my first views of African wildlife with several antelopes and a mongoose.
Carnivore Restaurant
One item on my itinerary from before I bought a ticket was to try as many game meats as I could. My friends treated me to such an experience at Carnivore Restaurant, near the lion park outside of Johannesburg. That night the menu included crocodile, zebra, kudu, impala, and the staples of beef, pork, and chicken. My favorites were kudu and zebra. The crocodile meat balls were good, but I didn’t like the texture of just grilled crocodile. Impala was also sumptuous. I ate kudu a few other times on this trip. Each time was delightful.
