Gauteng: Pretoria
Overview
Pretoria is in the transitional area between the Highveld and the Bushveld terain
types, approximately 50 kilometres north of Johannesburg. It lies in a warm, well
sheltered, fertile valley, surrounded by the hills of the Magaliesberg mountain
range, 1,370 m above sea level. The city's many Jacaranda trees (a non-indiginous
lilac flowering tree) have given it the nick name of 'Jacaranda City'.
It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive (administrative)
and de facto national capital of South Africa. Pretoria itself was founded in 1855
by Marthinus Pretorius, a leader of the Voortrekkers, who named it after his father
Andries Pretorius. It became the capital of the South African Republic on 1 May
1860.
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Pretoria has over the years had very diverse cultural influences and this is reflected
in the architectural styles that can be seen in the city. Architecture ranges from
British Colonial style to Art Deco with a good mix of uniquely South African styles
mixed in. The population of almost two million people has on average the highest
educational level in the country, and the city is a national centre of research
and learning with four universities and the headquarters of both the Council for
Scientific and Industrial Research and the Human Sciences Research Council. The
main languages spoken in Pretoria include Tswana, Afrikaans, Ndebele, and English.
Things to do and see
Some of the notable structures in Pretoria include the Union Buildings, Voortrekker
Monument, the main campus of the University of South Africa, Mahlamba Ndlopfu and
the Pretoria transmission tower. Pretoria is home to the National Zoological Gardens
of South Africa (Pretoria Zoo) as well as the Pretoria National Botanical Garden.
There are also a number of smaller parks and gardens located throughout the city,
including the Austin Roberts Bird Sanctuary. Historical sites include the Pretoria
Forts (four forts built by the government of the South African Republic - just before
the outbreak of the Second Anglo-Boer War around Pretoria), Kruger House (residence
of the president of the ZAR, Paul Kruger), Melrose House (where the Treaty of Vereeniging
which ended the Anglo-Boer War was signed in 1902), the Voortrekker Monument (a
massive granite structure, built to honour the Voortrekkers (Pioneers) who left
the Cape Colony in the thousands between 1835 and 1854), Freedom Park (a memorial
with a list of the names of those killed in the Boer Wars, World War I, World War
II as well as during the Apartheid struggle), the Transvaal Museum of Natural History
and the African Window (the national cultural history museum (NCHM) of South Africa).
For the Sport lover there is the Loftus Versfeld stadium, home to the Blue Bulls
Rugby team. Loftus Versfeld will be used for matches of the 2010 Soccer World Cup.There
are two soccer teams in the city campaigning in the Premier Soccer League - Sundowns
and Supersport United.
For shopping and entertainment you can visit the following shopping centres:
Atterbury Boulevard, Atterbury Value Mart, Brooklyn Mall, Hatfield Plaza, Menlyn
Park Shopping Centre, Menlyn Retail Park , Sammy Marks Shopping Centre, Sancardia
Shopping Centre, Sterland Mall, the
Kolonnade, Wonderpark,
and Woodlands Boulevard.
Lovers of nature can visit the Groenkloof Nature Reserve, Rietvlei Nature Reserve,
Moreletaspruit Nature Reserve, Faerie Glen Nature Reserve, and Wonderboom Nature
Reserve for a view of the natural veld and animal life of the area.
Climate
Pretoria is located in the summer rainfall area with hot days typically followed
by short and intense afternoon thunderstorms. The thunderstorms are often accompanied
by lightning and occasionally a fall of hail. Summer temperatures range between
16°C at night to 31°C during the day. Winters are mild and dry with temperatures
averaging between a minimum of 5°C and a maximum of 20°C. Ptretoria is on average
around 3 degrees warmer than the Johannesburg area. Snow is an extremely rare event,
which may occur once or twice in a century.
Accomodation
In Pretoria, your budget won't be a limitation, because the city offers a range
of choices to please both soul and pocket. Whether you are looking for a five star
hotel, a cosy B&B, an exclusive guest house, a romantic cottage, or a self catering
apartment, Pretoria has it all.
Suburbs
Popular suburbs in the Pretoria area include Menlyn, WaterKloof, Wapadrand, Menlo
Park, Hatfield, Brooklyn, and Arcadia.