Our tour of the Jacaranda City begins with a thorough investigation of the famous monument commemorating the battle of Blood River in 1838. The imposing Voortrekker Monument was built as a covenant to God and stands on a hill overlooking the city. We view the impressive stone carvings and painstakingly detailed tapestries depicting scenes from early pioneer hardships on their tough journeys before taking the elevator to the top of the monument to view the hole in the roof through which the sun shines at midday every December 16, the anniversary of the battle. Passing the many buck in the reserve adjacent to the monument, we follow the highway into the city, passing the maximum security prison on Potgieter Street.
At Church Street we turn towards the centre of town and arrive at the beautifully renovated home of an early President of the old Transvaal Republic, Paul Kruger, which is now a national monument. After touring this 100-year old house we move to the famous Church Square, where the Burgers assembled every weekend for religious services.
After lunch (R100 optional) at a beautiful restaurant in a park near the American Embassy, we drive up to the Union Buildings, which were designed by Sir Herbert Baker and completed in the early 20th century.
The final location we visit is the home of Field Marshall Jan Smuts, the first Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa in 1910. Situated in the peaceful village of Irene, this prefabricated house was originally used by the British Army in Middleburg, but disassembled and brought to its present site by Smuts, who loved the tranquility of this area. In the early 20th century Smuts’ holistic approach to the problems of mankind, assisted him in writing the preamble to the League of Nations, which later became the United Nations. Jan Smuts was truly a world statesman and a couple of hours spent delving into the life of this incredible man will give valuable insights into the history of South Africa.
The tour ends by returning to your departure point.
