George, Western Cape

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Dutch Reformed Church in George

George is a city in South Africa's Western Cape Province. It has a population of approximately 104,700 and is the administrative and commercial hub of the Garden Route.

George is a popular holiday and conference centre.

1 Location
2 Climate
3 History
4 Attractions
5 Churches
6 Education
7 Transport
8 Local government
9 Sister cities
10 External links

[edit] Location

The city is very centrally situated: halfway between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth and centre of the Garden Route. It is situated on a 10 kilometre plateau between the majestic Outeniqua Mountains to the north and the Indian Ocean to the south.

[edit] Climate

The Garden Route has a Mediterranean climate, with warm summers, and mild to chilly winters. It is one of the highest rainfall regions in South Africa. Most rain falls in the winter and spring months, brought by the humid sea-winds from the Indian Ocean. Any time of the year is good for visiting the area, depending on whether one enjoys a peaceful retreat during the winter months, or a bustling holiday destination during the summer.

[edit] History

George is the sixth oldest town in South Africa – and the first founded under British rule – and was named after the reigning monarch in 1811, King George III. The timber resources of the Outeniqua forests were the reason the Dutch East India Company, in 1776, established a woodcutters outpost on the site of what became George in 1811. It was declared a drostdy by the Earl of Caledon on 23 April 1811. George gained municipal status in 1837.

[edit] Attractions

George has an extremely sophisticated infrastructure with banks, conference facilities, businesses, major shopping chains including the newly completed Garden Route Shopping Centre, transport and sporting facilities, yet retaining its small town and country atmosphere of peace and tranquility. The town is also a major accommodation centre with a vast array of facilities on offer to suit every taste and pocket.

George is the center of South Africa's golf route, with numerous world-class courses, designed by numerous golfing greats. Amoungst these are Oubaai, Le Grande George, however, the most well-known being Fancourt Golf Estate. This course hosted the President's Cup in 2003 and is often the host to high-profile golf tournaments.

George has many historical landmarks to be visited.

The Slave Tree, an ancient English Oak planted by Landdrost (magistrate) van Kervel, known as the Slave Tree because of the very large chain and lock embedded in the trunk, has been declared a national monument.
The King Edward VII Library building is said to be the best example of Edwardian architecture in George.

The First Class School for girls was started by Miss Christina Petronella van Niekerk, a "New Age" young lady with visions for the future which were very different to those ideas held by the conservative population of George.

George is often used a base to explore Tsitsikamma National Park.

The Outeniqua Choo Tjoe is South Africa's last scheduled mixed steam train service and operates on the Outeniqualand Preserved Railway between George and Knysna in the heart of the Garden Route. Opened in 1928 and declared a preserved line in July 1993, this train winds its way through some of the most picturesque scenery in the country. Unfortunately, due to recent heavy flooding in the area, the line has been damaged. It has been rescheduled to run between George and Hartenbos [1] until further notice.

The Outeniqua Transport Museum houses a large collection of steam locomotives and carriages dating back to bygone years.

The Garden Route Botanical Garden taking shape at the top of Caledon Street offers year-round opportunities to admire the brilliance of the local flora. The Garden Route boasts the largest continuous natural forest area in South Africa, covering some 650 km². Marketable timber is harvested from 20% of the State forest. Stinkwood, named for its unmistakable odour when freshly cut, is highly prized by the furniture industry, as are white pear, hard pear, ironwood and assegaai. The most sought after timber is the Outeniqua Yellowwood (Podocarpus falcatus).

[edit] Churches

Pacaltsdorp Church is the oldest in the George district, completed in 1825. The Norman-style church has thick stonewalls and features a tall square tower topped by battlements. Across the road the little mud house in which the first missionary, Charles Pacalt of the London Missionary Society, lived after arriving in 1813.

The Dutch Reformed Mother Church was consecrated in 1842 after taking 12 years to build with its 23 metre domed tower and 1 metre thick walls. It was constructed by a supervisor and a number of skilled slaves who continued to work as 'apprentices' after the emancipation of slaves in 1834. Completed in 1843, St Peter & St Paul Catholic Church in Meade Street is the oldest Catholic Church in South Africa. St Mark's Cathedral, built in 1850, attained cathedral status in 1911. It was the smallest cathedral in the southern hemisphere until extensions in 1924-25. The nave is the oldest section. Its most distinctive feature is the number of stained glass windows in relation to its size.

[edit] Education

George is the tertiary hub of the Southern Cape, with the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, together with a number of private colleges, offering a variety of first choice courses.

Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU), offers two centers of excellence – Saasveld, known as the Centre for Renewable Resource Management and Hurteria, known as the Centre for Business and Information Technology studies.

Schools include the Afrikaans-medium George High School established in 1947 and Outeniqua High School established in 1923. The English medium school is York High School and there is also a double medium technical school named PW Botha College.

[edit] Transport

N2 Freeway between Mossel Bay and George

Road: George is 420 km from Cape Town along the N2 national road in an easterly direction, or 330 km from Port Elizabeth in a westerly direction.

Rail: There is no scheduled passenger service to George. Rovos Rail and the Union Limited however offer vintage train trips to the Garden Route. The Outeniqua Choo Tjoe steam train offers leisure rides between George and Knysna.

Air: George Airport (IATA code GRJ), situated approximately 7 km from the city centre, has scheduled flights to Cape Town International Airport, Durban International Airport and Johannesburg International Airport.