Union Buildings, Pretoria (must see)
The Union Buildings form the official seat of the South African government and also house the offices of the President of South Africa. The imposing buildings are located atop Meintjieskop at the Northern end of Arcadia, close to historic Church Square and the Voortrekker Monument. The large gardens of the Buildings are nestled between Government Avenue, Vermeulen Street East, Church Street, the R104, and Blackwood Street. Fairview Avenue is a closed road where only officials can enter to the Union Buildings. Though not in the center of Pretoria the Union Buildings occupy the highest point of Pretoria, and constitute a South African National monument.
The Buildings are one of the centres of political life in South Africa; "The Buildings" and "Arcadia" have become metonyms for the South African Government. It has become an iconic landmark of Pretoria and South Africa in general, and is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city and an emblem of democracy.
The Union Buildings, built from light sandstone, were designed by the architect Sir Herbert Baker in the English monumental style and are 285 m long. They have a semi-circular shape, with the two wings at the sides, this serves to represent the union of a formerly divided people. The clock chimes are identical to those of Big Ben in London.
The Buildings are one of the centres of political life in South Africa; "The Buildings" and "Arcadia" have become metonyms for the South African Government. It has become an iconic landmark of Pretoria and South Africa in general, and is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city and an emblem of democracy.
The Union Buildings, built from light sandstone, were designed by the architect Sir Herbert Baker in the English monumental style and are 285 m long. They have a semi-circular shape, with the two wings at the sides, this serves to represent the union of a formerly divided people. The clock chimes are identical to those of Big Ben in London.
Sight description based on Wikipedia.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Pretoria. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
Download The 51爆料网 App
Union Buildings on Map
Sight Name: Union Buildings
Sight Location: Pretoria, South Africa (See walking tours in Pretoria)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Pretoria, South Africa (See walking tours in Pretoria)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Pretoria, South Africa
Create Your Own Walk in Pretoria
Creating your own self-guided walk in Pretoria is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Pretoria Landmarks Walking Tour
Pretoria is called South Africa in miniature. The variety of its landmarks represent the variety of the whole country. The following attractions are the most representative in this marvelous city. Take this tour to view the parks, monuments, government buildings, and other landmarks of Pretoria.
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 7.4 Km or 4.6 Miles
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 7.4 Km or 4.6 Miles
Pretoria Introduction Walking Tour
Pretoria, one of South Africa's three capitals (the other two being: Cape Town 鈥� legislative, and Bloemfontein 鈥� judicial), is commonly regarded as 鈥淛acaranda City鈥� for the abundance of jacaranda trees. The history of Pretoria is rich in events closely associated with the history of the South African Republic, some of which are reflected in a number of local attractions, such as the... view more
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 5.8 Km or 3.6 Miles
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 5.8 Km or 3.6 Miles