Solitaire, Namibia
Encyclopedia
Solitaire is a small settlement in the Khomas Region
of central Namibia
near the Namib-Naukluft National Park. It features the only gasoline station, post office, and the only general dealer between the dunes at Sossusvlei
and the coast at Walvis Bay
, as well as to the capital Windhoek
. Solitaire belongs to the Windhoek Rural
electoral constituency.
Solitaire is known in The Netherlands
because of the book of the same name by Dutch author Ton van der Lee dealing with his stay in this place.
The area was named Solitaire by Elsie Sophia van Coller (wife of Willem Christoffel van Coller). The name was chosen because of two meanings. Solitaire can mean a single set diamond and Solitaire can also mean solitude or loneliness. Combined these two meanings create the definition of being unique or one-of-a-kind and a precious but solitary place.
The first man-made structure on the Solitaire farm was a 2 room cottage constructed by Mr van Coller who also later constructed the main farm house, a stone kraal adjacent to the farmhouse and a dam wall across the river bed. Later he was also responsible for constructing the current shop and installing the first petrol pump. The shop also acted as the regional post office where weekly postbags were delivered. Eventually a small chapel was built as well. In 1968 the farm 'Solitaire' was sold to Mr Maritz.
- Bethanie), and C24 (Rehoboth
- Sossusvlei), both major tourist routes through the Namib-Naukluft National Park. There is also a gravel air strip occasionally frequented by tourism operators and self-flyers.
As the surrounding area is sparsely populated it is a common stop-over for tourists. The settlement itself contains a camp site and a motel, the Solitaire Country Lodge, the adjacent farm land accommmodates the upmarket Solitaire Guest Farm Desert Ranch.
Khomas Region
Khomas is one of the thirteen regions of Namibia. It contains the capital city Windhoek and provides for this reason superior transportation infrastructure. It has well-developed economical, financial, and trade sectors. Khomas Region occupies 4.5% of the land area of Namibia but has the highest...
of central Namibia
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
near the Namib-Naukluft National Park. It features the only gasoline station, post office, and the only general dealer between the dunes at Sossusvlei
Sossusvlei
Sossusvlei is a salt and clay pan surrounded by high red dunes, located in the southern part of the Namib Desert, in the Namib-Naukluft National Park of Namibia...
and the coast at Walvis Bay
Walvis Bay
Walvis Bay , is a city in Namibia and the name of the bay on which it lies...
, as well as to the capital Windhoek
Windhoek
Windhoek is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Namibia. It is located in central Namibia in the Khomas Highland plateau area, at around above sea level. The 2001 census determined Windhoek's population was 233,529...
. Solitaire belongs to the Windhoek Rural
Windhoek Rural
Windhoek Rural is a constituency in the Khomas Region of Namibia. its population is 20,212. This constituency contains all settlements in the Khomas Region that are outside the city of Windhoek, among them:...
electoral constituency.
Solitaire is known in The Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
because of the book of the same name by Dutch author Ton van der Lee dealing with his stay in this place.
History
In 1948 Willem Christoffel van Coller bought 33,000 hectares of land from the South West Administration (the government of Namibia at the time) for the purpose of farming Karakul sheep. The land was previously an undeveloped area called Areb situated between the Ababis region to the South and the Koireb region to the North.The area was named Solitaire by Elsie Sophia van Coller (wife of Willem Christoffel van Coller). The name was chosen because of two meanings. Solitaire can mean a single set diamond and Solitaire can also mean solitude or loneliness. Combined these two meanings create the definition of being unique or one-of-a-kind and a precious but solitary place.
The first man-made structure on the Solitaire farm was a 2 room cottage constructed by Mr van Coller who also later constructed the main farm house, a stone kraal adjacent to the farmhouse and a dam wall across the river bed. Later he was also responsible for constructing the current shop and installing the first petrol pump. The shop also acted as the regional post office where weekly postbags were delivered. Eventually a small chapel was built as well. In 1968 the farm 'Solitaire' was sold to Mr Maritz.
Tourism
Solitaire is situated at the junction of main roads C14 (Walvis BayWalvis Bay
Walvis Bay , is a city in Namibia and the name of the bay on which it lies...
- Bethanie), and C24 (Rehoboth
Rehoboth, Namibia
Rehoboth is a town of 21,000 inhabitants in central Namibia just north of the Tropic of Capricorn. Located on the B1 road, 90 kilometres south of the Namibian capital Windhoek, Rehoboth lies on a high elevation plateau with several natural hot-water springs. It receives sparse mean annual rainfall...
- Sossusvlei), both major tourist routes through the Namib-Naukluft National Park. There is also a gravel air strip occasionally frequented by tourism operators and self-flyers.
As the surrounding area is sparsely populated it is a common stop-over for tourists. The settlement itself contains a camp site and a motel, the Solitaire Country Lodge, the adjacent farm land accommmodates the upmarket Solitaire Guest Farm Desert Ranch.