Church Square, Pretoria
Church Square (English) or Kerkplein (Afrikaans), is the historic centre of the city of Pretoria, South Africa.
2: Old ZAR Council Chamber (Sytze Wierda) 1891
3: Old Capitol Theatre (PR Cooke) 1931
4: Old Netherlands Bank (Wilhelm de Zwaan) 1897
5: Regskamers (Phillip, Carmicheal & Murray) 1891
6: Café Riche (Francois Soff) 1905
7: Palace of Justice (Sytze Wierda) 1902
8: Old Reserve Bank and Old Old Mutual Building (Baker & Leith and Frederick McIntosh Glennie) 1930 and 1929
9: Ons Eerste Volksbank (Cowin & Ellis) 1930
10: Barclays Bank (Gordon Leith) ca 1930
11: Tudor Chambers (John Ellis) 1904
12: Standard Bank (Stucke & Harrison) 1934
A: Bank of Africa (TA & FRE Sladdin) 1906
B: Old National Bank and Mint Building and Old National Bank Chambers (F Emley & Scott and unknown architect) 1892 and 1903
C: General Post Office (William Hawke) 1910
Its most prominent feature is the statue of the late Boer leader and president of the South African Republic Paul Kruger at its centre.[1] Statues of four anonymous Boer citizen-soldiers surround that of Kruger's on a lower level of the plinth.
Several historically and architecturally significant buildings surround the square: the Palace of Justice, the Old Capitol Theatre, the Tudor Chambers, the Ou Raadsaal (Old Council Chamber) and the General Post Office, which was designed by William Hawke.[2]
The turreted Palace of Justice was the scene of arguably the most famous political trial in South Africa's history, the Rivonia Trial. During this trial, Nelson Mandela and a number of other ANC terrorists were charged with treason, found guilty and subsequently incarcerated.
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Transvaal University College Rag festivities in Church Square in 1910 -
Welcoming day for Transvaal University College first years in 1929 -
Palace of Justice -
Paul Kruger Statue
History
The first church was built on Church Square in 1856 by Skinner and Devereux, but burnt down in 1882.[2] This simple Cape Dutch style building was replaced by an early Gothic style building, built by Claridge, together with Leslie Simmonds.[2] This second church was demolished in 1904. According to a Minute of His Worship the Mayor (Andrew Johnson) for the Mayoral Year ending 25th October 1905, Municipality of Pretoria, a fountain was proposed for the square by Mr. Samuel Marks.[1] This piece in turn was moved to the Pretoria Zoo,[1] making way for the current collection of sculptures.
Samuel Marks commisioned the Paul Kruger statue in 1856 as a sign of his respect to the President. Mr. Marks was already a well established business man and sought to extend his thanks not only to the republic but specifically to its President, who he believed to be a peoples President. It was said that President Kruger would sit on his stoep (Afrikaans word for porch) during his days off, which were most likely Sundays, seeing as the President was a religious man, and there any person could talk with him as lomg as it was not regarding state affairs.
References
External links
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