Voortrekker Monument & Museum

Lonely Planet review

The looming Voortrekker Monument & Museum is hallowed turf for many Afrikaners. Built between 1938 and 1949 to commemorate the achievements of the Voortrekkers, who trekked north over the Cape's coastal mountains into the heart of the African veld. The structure remains a testament to the Boers' pioneering and independent spirit, and commemorates the Battle of Blood River on 16 December 1838 during which 470 Boers, under the command of Andries Pretorius, defeated approximately 12,000 Zulus.

The 'trekkers went on to found independent republics that in many ways form the genesis of modern South Africa. In terms of drama, determination, courage, vision and tragedy, their story surpasses the history of European colonists. Some Afrikaners go one step further, saying that the trek parallels the biblical Exodus, and that the Battle of Blood River was divine intervention: proof that the 'trekkers were a chosen people.

The monument was built at the time of great Afrikaner nationalism, with the scars of defeat in the Anglo-Boer War still fresh. The building's inauguration in 1949 was attended by 250,000 people and remains a powerful symbol of the 'white tribe of Africa' and its historical relationship to South Africa.

The edifice is surrounded by a stone wall carved with 64 wagons in a traditional defensive laager (circle). The building itself is a huge stone cube inspired by the ruins of Great Zimbabwe. Inside, a highly impressive bas-relief tells the story of the trek (not exactly the whole story - everyone appears to be white) and of the Battle of Blood River. On 16 December a shaft of light falls on the words Ons vir jou, Suid Afrika ('We for thee, South Africa'). A staircase and elevator lead to the roof and a great panoramic view of Pretoria and the highveld.

In the basement there is a small museum that reconstructs the lives of the 'trekkers, and a magnificent tapestry of naive artistry and tub-thumping chauvinism.

The monument is 3km south of the city and is clearly signposted from the N1 freeway. It is possible to catch the Voortrekkerhoogte or Valhalla bus from Kruger St near the corner of Church Sq. Ask the driver to let you off at the entrance road to the monument, from where it's a 10-minute walk uphill.