Pietermaritzburg Information
Pietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg Information
Beyond the reach of moisture-laden coastal elements, these vast landscapes are our Zulu Kingdom's 'Eshayamoya' - 'where the breezes blow' - across soft, rolling hills and through deep, secluded valleys, ruffling great rivers and dams, and sporting with the rainbow-spray of dramatic waterfalls. Here lie the experiences of country living at its most elegant and refined; wide open spaces dotted with horse studs and cattle ranches, guest farms and welcoming, quaint communities.
This all-pervading, unmistakable sense of style and grace radiates from the historic heart of our 'City of Flowers' - Pietermaritzburg. One of the Kingdom's twin capitals, and listed among the 'most important high-character' cities of Africa, the park and garden-filled metropolis exudes a gentle, sophisticated charm.
Pietermaritzburg boasts the highest concentration of attractions linked to our intricately woven history of any city in South Africa. Standing on the original Voortrekker site, the City Hall holds two southern hemisphere records - for the largest all-brick building and the largest pipe organ. The central shopping area's pedestrian precinct reveals perfectly how the short-lived Voortrekker ideal was superimposed with Victorian London, with specialist shops - notably colonial-era literature and Africana - conveniently interspersed with quaint cafes and taverns. Two museums in Pietermaritzburg convey the importance of church life in pioneering the Midlands region, while, the Natal Museum covers all aspects of our kingdom's history - beginning with the artwork of pre-Zulu, San hunter-gatherer inhabitants. Tatham Gallery is among this country's top seven art museums, with its eclectic mix of beadwork and basketry, oils and linocuts, while British and French 19th and 20th century masterpieces are well-represented with Picasso, Matisse, Degas, Renoir and Hockney.
At the risk of cliche, it must be said that the parks and gardens of Pietermaritzburg are also a picture, both private and public domains bursting with lush greenery and blooms-of-the-season. Splendid azaleas are displayed among the majestic indigenous trees that fill the National Botanic Gardens, proteas highlight the features at Wylie Park and Alexandra Park's olde worlde Pavilion is surrounded by superb roses and winter-flowering aloes.
Former president Nelson Mandela's biography sees Pietermaritzburg heading three chapters. These are his first appearance in a court of law, final public speech as leader of our country and - beyond city limits near Howick - the arrest that led to his 26-year incarceration. A small monument at this last-mentioned site is regularly visited by school tours, foreign and local visitors.