Union Buildings
Encyclopedia
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 in Pretoria
, 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 Buildings are the location of Presidential Inaugurations.
, 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 east and west wings, as well as the twin-domed towers, represent two languages, English
and Afrikaans
, and the inner court symbolizes Union of South Africa. These buildings are considered by many to be the architect
's greatest achievement and a South Africa
n architectural masterpiece
. The Nelson Mandela statue in Sandton City's Nelson Mandela Square
was commissioned originally to stand on the spot where Nelson Mandela gave his inaugural address.
The building was sited on a disused quarry, which now makes up the Amphitheatre
. The statues on top of the towers are Mercury
, a mythic Roman messenger and a god of trade. Mercury is holding up the world. The closest suburb to the Union Buildings is Arcadia
, which means "Playground Of Gods". Pretoria has the second largest number of embassies in the world, after Washington, D.C.
, most of which are located in or near Arcadia.
The design of each level differs, and therefore each stone had to be individually cut. The Architectural styles of the building ranges from the lower levels' Edwardian Style
to the top levels' Cape Dutch Design with shutters on the windows. The windows from bottom to top are elongated and become shorter and shorter to the top floor. This is to give the illusion of height.
The Union Buildings are the site of Presidential Inaugurations. The official offices of the president are on the left-hand side of the Union Buildings, and the South African national flag is flown on the left-hand side if the president is in office.
The Buildings are divided into three sections; the left offices, amphitheatre, and right offices. All are 95 metres in length. Each offices block contains three inner courtyards providing light and air to the offices. Each block has a basement and three floors above ground. The central curved building behind the colonnade houses the committee rooms, a library and conference rooms while the basement contains the kitchen, dining rooms and lounges.
The interior is treated in the Cape Dutch Style: carved teak fanlights, heavy doors dark ceiling beams contrasting with white plaster walls and heavy wood furniture
of the ZAR
and the Orange Free State
were united with the Cape Colony
and Natal Colony in 1910 to become the Union of South Africa
. Pretoria then became the administrative capital of the whole of South Africa, with Cape Town
the legislative capital. Between 1860 and 1994, the city was also the capital of the province of Transvaal
, superseding Potchefstroom in that role.
The new Union
needed a governmental building which could signify unity and host the new Government.
Marthinus Wessel Pretorius
, later to become first president of the Transvaal Republic, was the original owner of the farm 'Elandsfontein' on which Meintjieskop stands. In 1856 Andries Francois du Toit (1813–1883), in exchange for a Basuto pony
, acquired part of the farm, which he named 'Arcadia
' and on which the Union Buildings were later constructed. He was also Pretoria
’s first magistrate
and was responsible for the layout of the city. During this period he sold his land to Stephanus Jacobus Meintjies (1819–1887), after whom the hill is named.
In 1909 Herbert Baker was commissioned to design the Government Building of the Union of South Africa (which was formed on 31 May
1910) in Pretoria. Pretoria was to become the administrative centre for the new government. In November 1910 the cornerstone of the Union Building was laid.
Lord Selborne
and H. C. Hull, a member of the first Union Cabinet, chose Meintjieskop
as the site for Baker's design. The site was that of a disused quarry and the existing excavations were used to create the amphitheatre, which was set about with ornamental pools, fountains, sculptures, balustrades and trees.
The design consisted of two identical wings, joined by a semicircular colonnade forming the backdrop of the amphitheatre. The colonnade was terminated on either side by a tower. Each wing had a basement and three floors above ground. The interiors were created in the Cape Dutch Style
with carved teak fanlight
s, heavy doors, dark ceiling beams contrasting with white plaster walls and heavy wood furniture. Baker used indigenous materials as far as possible. The granite was quarried on site while Buiskop sandstone was used for the courtyards. Stinkwood
and Rhodesian teak
were used for timber and wood panelling. The roof tiles and quarry tiles for the floors were made in Vereeniging.
The cornerstone
was laid in November 1910, shortly after the Union of South Africa
— for which the buildings are named — was formed. Taking 1,265 workers over three years to build, the structure was completed in 1913 at a total cost of £1,310,640 for the building and £350,000 for the site.
Designed by Sir Herbert Baker in 1908, building began in 1909 and was completed in 1913. It took approximately 1265 artisans, workmen and labourers almost three years to construct, using 14 million bricks for the interior office walls, half a million cubic feet of freestone, 74 000 cubic yards of concrete, 40 000 bags of cement and 20 000 cubic feet of granite.
Originally built to house the entire Public Service for the Union of South Africa
, it was then the largest building in the country and possibly the largest building work undertaken in the Southern Hemisphere at that time.
Several other sites were considered, including Muckleneuk Ridge, on the opposite side of the city and Pretorius Square, in the centre of Pretoria, where the City Hall now stands. However, Herbert Baker was strongly in favour of Meintjieskop
, which was within a mile of the centre of Pretoria and reminded him strongly of some of the acropolises of Greece and Asia Minor, where he had studied Mediterranean architecture.
The concept of an acropolis and a building that agreed with renowned British Architect Sir Christopher Wren's theory that a public building should be a national ornament which establishes a nation, draws people and commerce and makes people love their country easily persuaded the then powers that be, who were at the time, preoccupied with the ideal of establishing a new and united nation.
The British high commissioner at the time, Lord Selborne, remarked;
The design of the buildings was largely determined by the nature of the site. Baker envisaged identical wings of rectangular office blocks, each representing one of the two official languages. They were to be linked by a semicircular wing, and the space in-between the two wings was levelled to form an amphitheatre as in the Greek fashion for gatherings of national and ceremonial importance.
Baker wanted the buildings to be built of imported granite, but any idea of using anything but South African stone for the most important government building of the new state was unthinkable to those who commissioned it, as a result, the terraces and retaining walls in the grounds are built predominantly of mountain stone quarried on site, the foundation of the building is of granite, while freestone was used for the exterior walls, the amphitheatre and major courtyards.
For the overall design of the building, Baker chose the neo-classic architecture
of the Italian Renaissance
, and also combined an idiom of the English Renaissance, as well as significant elements of Cape Dutch
detail, such as in the carved main doorways and fanlights and in much of the wrought-iron brass work and balustrades of the smaller areas.
of 1950. This historical event is commemorated by the public holiday National Women's Day
.
Wilma Cruise and Marcus Holmes were approached to design a memorial to commemorate the Women’s March. They made use of the “imbokodo”. The imbokodo is a grinding stone used by the women to grind maize. Cruise and Holmes, rested the imbokodo, representing nurture and sustenance, on bronze plates, representing the earth and fire. There are two sets of stairs leading to the memorial, and on each step, raised in bronzed letters are the words from ‘The Demand of the Women of South Africa for the Withdrawal of Passes for Women and Repeal of the Pass Laws.’ On approaching the imbokodo, you will trigger infrared beams, which activates history’s “whispered voices”, echoed in all 11 official languages, the rally cry, repeated softly.
On May 10, 1994 the Inauguration of former President Nelson Mandela
, South Africa's first democratically elected president, and his Vice-Presidents, after the country's first free elections
, heralded the beginning of a new era in South Africa's history.
Part of Nelson Mandela's inaugural address:
On December 31, 1999 the South African flagship Millennium Celebration
was held here. In attendance was the then Deputy President Jacob Zuma
, and other ministers.
The lawn in front of the Union Buildings are often the location for public gatherings, whether they be protest or celebration, such as the presidential inauguration.
Notable are the terraced gardens
, planted exclusively with indigenous plants, surrounding the buildings as well as the 9,000 seat amphitheatre
.
Within the grounds are various monuments, statues
and memorials.
Starting at the bottom of the gardens, a large statue of General Louis Botha
(First prime minister
of the Union of South Africa
) on horseback dominates the lawn.
About half way up the terraces, the Delville Wood
War Memorial
is a tribute to South African troops who died during the First World War as well as a plaque in memory of those that died during the Korean War
.
Two levels above that is a statue of prime minister
J.B.M. Hertzog.
The South African Police Memorial
is located at the top right of the gardens.
The South African National Film, Video and Sound Archives is also located in the grounds of the Union Buildings, adjacent to the Police Memorial.
and the Union Buildings in the national consciousness, a law in Pretoria limits the height of any building between the Voortrekker Monument and the Union Buildings such that the view between them remains unobstructed.
as the seat of the South African Government, as well as Pretoria sharing duties with Cape Town and Bloemfontein
as the Capital Cities of South Africa.
Parliament spends the winter months in Pretoria, during the summer months it changes to Cape Town.
The official seat of the President are the Union Buildings in Pretoria and the Tuynhuys in Cape Town.
President of South Africa
The President of the Republic of South Africa is the head of state and head of government under South Africa's Constitution. From 1961 to 1994, the head of state was called the State President....
. The imposing buildings are located in Pretoria
Pretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
, atop Meintjieskop
Meintjieskop
Meintjieskop is a hill in Pretoria on which the Union Buildings were constructed.Marthinus Wessel Pretorius, later to become first president of the Transvaal Republic, was the original owner of the farm 'Elandsfontein' on which Meintjieskop stands...
at the Northern end of Arcadia
Arcadia, Pretoria
Arcadia is a suburb in Pretoria, South Africa that is known for its historical buildings, embassies and hotels. The Union Buildings and the President's residence are also situated here.The main thoroughfare is Park Street...
, close to historic Church Square
Church Square, Pretoria
Church Square or Kerkplein , is the historic centre of the city of Pretoria, South Africa.Its most prominent feature is the statue of the Boer leader and president of the South African Republic Paul Kruger at its centre...
and the Voortrekker Monument
Voortrekker Monument
The Voortrekker Monument is a monument in the city of Pretoria, South Africa. The massive granite structure, built to honour the Voortrekkers who left the Cape Colony between 1835 and 1854, was designed by the architect Gerard Moerdijk who had the idea to design a "monument that would stand a...
. 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
Metonymy
Metonymy is a figure of speech used in rhetoric in which a thing or concept is not called by its own name, but by the name of something intimately associated with that thing or concept...
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 Buildings are the location of Presidential Inaugurations.
Architecture
These buildings, built from light sandstoneSandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
, 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 east and west wings, as well as the twin-domed towers, represent two languages, English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and Afrikaans
Afrikaans
Afrikaans is a West Germanic language, spoken natively in South Africa and Namibia. It is a daughter language of Dutch, originating in its 17th century dialects, collectively referred to as Cape Dutch .Afrikaans is a daughter language of Dutch; see , , , , , .Afrikaans was historically called Cape...
, and the inner court symbolizes Union of South Africa. These buildings are considered by many to be the architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
's greatest achievement and a South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n architectural masterpiece
Masterpiece
Masterpiece in modern usage refers to a creation that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career or to a work of outstanding creativity, skill or workmanship....
. The Nelson Mandela statue in Sandton City's Nelson Mandela Square
Nelson Mandela Square
Nelson Mandela Square is a shopping centre in Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa. Formerly known as Sandton Square, it was renamed Nelson Mandela Square on 31 March 2004 after a 6-metre statue of Nelson Mandela was installed on the square to honour the former South African president...
was commissioned originally to stand on the spot where Nelson Mandela gave his inaugural address.
The building was sited on a disused quarry, which now makes up the Amphitheatre
Amphitheatre
An amphitheatre is an open-air venue used for entertainment and performances.There are two similar, but distinct, types of structure for which the word "amphitheatre" is used: Ancient Roman amphitheatres were large central performance spaces surrounded by ascending seating, and were commonly used...
. The statues on top of the towers are Mercury
Mercury (mythology)
Mercury was a messenger who wore winged sandals, and a god of trade, the son of Maia Maiestas and Jupiter in Roman mythology. His name is related to the Latin word merx , mercari , and merces...
, a mythic Roman messenger and a god of trade. Mercury is holding up the world. The closest suburb to the Union Buildings is Arcadia
Arcadia, Pretoria
Arcadia is a suburb in Pretoria, South Africa that is known for its historical buildings, embassies and hotels. The Union Buildings and the President's residence are also situated here.The main thoroughfare is Park Street...
, which means "Playground Of Gods". Pretoria has the second largest number of embassies in the world, after Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, most of which are located in or near Arcadia.
Edwardian architecture
Edwardian architecture is the style popular when King Edward VII of the United Kingdom was in power; he reigned from 1901 to 1910, but the architecture style is generally considered to be indicative of the years 1901 to 1914....
to the top levels' Cape Dutch Design with shutters on the windows. The windows from bottom to top are elongated and become shorter and shorter to the top floor. This is to give the illusion of height.
The Union Buildings are the site of Presidential Inaugurations. The official offices of the president are on the left-hand side of the Union Buildings, and the South African national flag is flown on the left-hand side if the president is in office.
The Buildings are divided into three sections; the left offices, amphitheatre, and right offices. All are 95 metres in length. Each offices block contains three inner courtyards providing light and air to the offices. Each block has a basement and three floors above ground. The central curved building behind the colonnade houses the committee rooms, a library and conference rooms while the basement contains the kitchen, dining rooms and lounges.
The interior is treated in the Cape Dutch Style: carved teak fanlights, heavy doors dark ceiling beams contrasting with white plaster walls and heavy wood furniture
History
The Boer RepublicsBoer Republics
The Boer Republics were independent self-governed republics created by the northeastern frontier branch of the Dutch-speaking inhabitants of the north eastern Cape Province and their descendants in mainly the northern and eastern parts of what is now the country of...
of the ZAR
South African Republic
The South African Republic , often informally known as the Transvaal Republic, was an independent Boer-ruled country in Southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century. Not to be confused with the present-day Republic of South Africa, it occupied the area later known as the South African...
and the Orange Free State
Orange Free State
The Orange Free State was an independent Boer republic in southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century, and later a British colony and a province of the Union of South Africa. It is the historical precursor to the present-day Free State province...
were united with the Cape Colony
Cape Colony
The Cape Colony, part of modern South Africa, was established by the Dutch East India Company in 1652, with the founding of Cape Town. It was subsequently occupied by the British in 1795 when the Netherlands were occupied by revolutionary France, so that the French revolutionaries could not take...
and Natal Colony in 1910 to become the Union of South Africa
Union of South Africa
The Union of South Africa is the historic predecessor to the present-day Republic of South Africa. It came into being on 31 May 1910 with the unification of the previously separate colonies of the Cape, Natal, Transvaal and the Orange Free State...
. Pretoria then became the administrative capital of the whole of South Africa, with Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
the legislative capital. Between 1860 and 1994, the city was also the capital of the province of Transvaal
Transvaal Province
Transvaal Province was a province of the Union of South Africa from 1910 to 1961, and of its successor, the Republic of South Africa, from 1961 until the end of apartheid in 1994 when a new constitution subdivided it.-History:...
, superseding Potchefstroom in that role.
The new Union
Union of South Africa
The Union of South Africa is the historic predecessor to the present-day Republic of South Africa. It came into being on 31 May 1910 with the unification of the previously separate colonies of the Cape, Natal, Transvaal and the Orange Free State...
needed a governmental building which could signify unity and host the new Government.
Marthinus Wessel Pretorius
Marthinus Wessel Pretorius
The son of the famous Voortrekker leader Andries Pretorius, Marthinus Wessel Pretorius was the first president of the South African Republic, and also compiled the constitution of the Republic....
, later to become first president of the Transvaal Republic, was the original owner of the farm 'Elandsfontein' on which Meintjieskop stands. In 1856 Andries Francois du Toit (1813–1883), in exchange for a Basuto pony
Basuto pony
- Characteristics :The Basuto is considered a small horse, since it possesses horse-like characteristics, such as an exceptionally long stride. Basutos have a rather heavy head, a long neck and long, straight back, a straight shoulder, and a muscular, sloping croup. They have very tough legs and...
, acquired part of the farm, which he named 'Arcadia
Arcadia, Pretoria
Arcadia is a suburb in Pretoria, South Africa that is known for its historical buildings, embassies and hotels. The Union Buildings and the President's residence are also situated here.The main thoroughfare is Park Street...
' and on which the Union Buildings were later constructed. He was also Pretoria
Pretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
’s first magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
and was responsible for the layout of the city. During this period he sold his land to Stephanus Jacobus Meintjies (1819–1887), after whom the hill is named.
In 1909 Herbert Baker was commissioned to design the Government Building of the Union of South Africa (which was formed on 31 May
1910) in Pretoria. Pretoria was to become the administrative centre for the new government. In November 1910 the cornerstone of the Union Building was laid.
Lord Selborne
William Palmer, 2nd Earl of Selborne
William Waldegrave Palmer, 2nd Earl of Selborne KG, GCMG, PC , styled Viscount Wolmer between 1882 and 1895, was a British politician and colonial administrator.-Background and education:...
and H. C. Hull, a member of the first Union Cabinet, chose Meintjieskop
Meintjieskop
Meintjieskop is a hill in Pretoria on which the Union Buildings were constructed.Marthinus Wessel Pretorius, later to become first president of the Transvaal Republic, was the original owner of the farm 'Elandsfontein' on which Meintjieskop stands...
as the site for Baker's design. The site was that of a disused quarry and the existing excavations were used to create the amphitheatre, which was set about with ornamental pools, fountains, sculptures, balustrades and trees.
Cape Dutch architecture
-Introduction:Cape Dutch architecture is an architectural style found in the Western Cape of South Africa. The style was prominent in the early days of the Cape Colony, and the name derives from the fact that the initial settlers of the Cape were primarily Dutch...
with carved teak fanlight
Fanlight
A fanlight is a window, semicircular or semi-elliptical in shape, with glazing bars or tracery sets radiating out like an open fan, It is placed over another window or a doorway. and is sometimes hinged to a transom. The bars in the fixed glazed window spread out in the manner a sunburst...
s, heavy doors, dark ceiling beams contrasting with white plaster walls and heavy wood furniture. Baker used indigenous materials as far as possible. The granite was quarried on site while Buiskop sandstone was used for the courtyards. Stinkwood
Ocotea bullata
Ocotea bullata is a species of flowering tree in the family Lauraceae, native to South Africa. It produces very fine and valuable timber which, along with Yellowood, was much sought after to make traditional furniture. Due to over-exploitation it is now a protected species. Other names for it are...
and Rhodesian teak
Guibourtia
Guibourtia is a flowering plant genus in the family Fabaceae . It contains 16 species, native to tropical regions of Africa and South America...
were used for timber and wood panelling. The roof tiles and quarry tiles for the floors were made in Vereeniging.
The cornerstone
Cornerstone
The cornerstone concept is derived from the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation, important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.Over time a cornerstone became a ceremonial masonry stone, or...
was laid in November 1910, shortly after the Union of South Africa
Union of South Africa
The Union of South Africa is the historic predecessor to the present-day Republic of South Africa. It came into being on 31 May 1910 with the unification of the previously separate colonies of the Cape, Natal, Transvaal and the Orange Free State...
— for which the buildings are named — was formed. Taking 1,265 workers over three years to build, the structure was completed in 1913 at a total cost of £1,310,640 for the building and £350,000 for the site.
Designed by Sir Herbert Baker in 1908, building began in 1909 and was completed in 1913. It took approximately 1265 artisans, workmen and labourers almost three years to construct, using 14 million bricks for the interior office walls, half a million cubic feet of freestone, 74 000 cubic yards of concrete, 40 000 bags of cement and 20 000 cubic feet of granite.
Originally built to house the entire Public Service for the Union of South Africa
Union of South Africa
The Union of South Africa is the historic predecessor to the present-day Republic of South Africa. It came into being on 31 May 1910 with the unification of the previously separate colonies of the Cape, Natal, Transvaal and the Orange Free State...
, it was then the largest building in the country and possibly the largest building work undertaken in the Southern Hemisphere at that time.
Several other sites were considered, including Muckleneuk Ridge, on the opposite side of the city and Pretorius Square, in the centre of Pretoria, where the City Hall now stands. However, Herbert Baker was strongly in favour of Meintjieskop
Meintjieskop
Meintjieskop is a hill in Pretoria on which the Union Buildings were constructed.Marthinus Wessel Pretorius, later to become first president of the Transvaal Republic, was the original owner of the farm 'Elandsfontein' on which Meintjieskop stands...
, which was within a mile of the centre of Pretoria and reminded him strongly of some of the acropolises of Greece and Asia Minor, where he had studied Mediterranean architecture.
The concept of an acropolis and a building that agreed with renowned British Architect Sir Christopher Wren's theory that a public building should be a national ornament which establishes a nation, draws people and commerce and makes people love their country easily persuaded the then powers that be, who were at the time, preoccupied with the ideal of establishing a new and united nation.
The British high commissioner at the time, Lord Selborne, remarked;
People will come from all over the world to wonder at the beauty of the site and to admire the forethought and courage of the men who selected it.
The design of the buildings was largely determined by the nature of the site. Baker envisaged identical wings of rectangular office blocks, each representing one of the two official languages. They were to be linked by a semicircular wing, and the space in-between the two wings was levelled to form an amphitheatre as in the Greek fashion for gatherings of national and ceremonial importance.
Baker wanted the buildings to be built of imported granite, but any idea of using anything but South African stone for the most important government building of the new state was unthinkable to those who commissioned it, as a result, the terraces and retaining walls in the grounds are built predominantly of mountain stone quarried on site, the foundation of the building is of granite, while freestone was used for the exterior walls, the amphitheatre and major courtyards.
For the overall design of the building, Baker chose the neo-classic architecture
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
of the Italian Renaissance
Italian Renaissance
The Italian Renaissance began the opening phase of the Renaissance, a period of great cultural change and achievement in Europe that spanned the period from the end of the 13th century to about 1600, marking the transition between Medieval and Early Modern Europe...
, and also combined an idiom of the English Renaissance, as well as significant elements of Cape Dutch
Cape Dutch
Cape Dutch are people of the Western Cape of South Africa who descended primarily from Dutch and Flemish as well as smaller numbers of French, German and other European immigrants along with a percentage of their Asian and African slaves, who, from the 17th century into the 19th century, remained...
detail, such as in the carved main doorways and fanlights and in much of the wrought-iron brass work and balustrades of the smaller areas.
Historical Events
On August 9, 1956, 20 000 women marched to the doors of the Union Buildings, chanting “Wathint’ Abafazi, wathint’ imbokodo!” which means “strike the women, strike the rock”, to protest against the pass lawsPass laws
Pass laws in South Africa were designed to segregate the population and limit severely the movements of the non-white populace. This legislation was one of the dominant features of the country's apartheid system. The Black population were required to carry these pass books with them when outside...
of 1950. This historical event is commemorated by the public holiday National Women's Day
National Women's Day
National Women's Day is an annual public holiday in South Africa on August 9. This commemorates the national march of women on this day in 1956 to petition against legislation that required African persons to carry the "pass", special identification documents which curtailed an African's freedom of...
.
Wilma Cruise and Marcus Holmes were approached to design a memorial to commemorate the Women’s March. They made use of the “imbokodo”. The imbokodo is a grinding stone used by the women to grind maize. Cruise and Holmes, rested the imbokodo, representing nurture and sustenance, on bronze plates, representing the earth and fire. There are two sets of stairs leading to the memorial, and on each step, raised in bronzed letters are the words from ‘The Demand of the Women of South Africa for the Withdrawal of Passes for Women and Repeal of the Pass Laws.’ On approaching the imbokodo, you will trigger infrared beams, which activates history’s “whispered voices”, echoed in all 11 official languages, the rally cry, repeated softly.
On May 10, 1994 the Inauguration of former President Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
, South Africa's first democratically elected president, and his Vice-Presidents, after the country's first free elections
South African general election, 1994
The South African general election of 1994 was an election held in South Africa to mark the end of apartheid, therefore also the first held with universal adult suffrage. The election was conducted under the direction of the Independent Electoral Commission .Millions queued in lines over a three...
, heralded the beginning of a new era in South Africa's history.
Part of Nelson Mandela's inaugural address:
"Today, all of us do, by our presence here, and by our celebrations in other parts of our country and the world,confer glory and hope to newborn liberty.
Out of the experience of an extraordinary human disaster that lasted too long, must be born a society of which all humanity will be proud.
Our daily deeds as ordinary South Africans must produce an actual South African reality that will reinforce humanity's belief in justice, strengthen its confidence in the nobility of the human soul and sustain all our hopes for a glorious life for all.
All this we owe both to ourselves and to the peoples of the world who are so well represented here today.
.......
We understand it still that there is no easy road to freedom.
We know it well that none of us acting alone can achieve success.
We must therefore act together as a united people, for national reconciliation, for nation building, for the birth of a new world.
Let there be justice for all.
Let there be peace for all.
Let there be work, bread, water and salt for all.
Let each know that for each the body, the mind and the soul have been freed to fulfill themselves.
Never, never and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another and suffer the indignity of being the skunk of the world.
Let freedom reign.
The sun shall never set on so glorious a human achievement!
Let us make this dream come true. Collectively we can do it, a white government tried and failed, a black government tried and failed.
Let us as a Rainbow nation keep this in focus and move forward.!"
On December 31, 1999 the South African flagship Millennium Celebration
Millennium Celebration
The Millennium Celebration was a celebration at the Walt Disney World Resort of the changing of the millennium. The celebration ran from October 1, 1999 to January 1, 2001. The celebration was primarily based at Epcot, with its emphasis on human potential and the possibilities of the future...
was held here. In attendance was the then Deputy President Jacob Zuma
Jacob Zuma
Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma is the President of South Africa, elected by parliament following his party's victory in the 2009 general election....
, and other ministers.
Gardens and Grounds
The building is surrounded by beautifully terraced gardens of indigenous plants. Various monuments adorn the expansive lawns, including the Delville Wood War Memorial and a statue of the country's first president, General Louis Botha.The lawn in front of the Union Buildings are often the location for public gatherings, whether they be protest or celebration, such as the presidential inauguration.
Notable are the terraced gardens
Terrace (gardening)
In gardening, a terrace is an element where a raised flat paved or gravelled section overlooks a prospect. A raised terrace keeps a house dry and provides a transition between the hard materials of the architecture and softer ones of the garden.-History:...
, planted exclusively with indigenous plants, surrounding the buildings as well as the 9,000 seat amphitheatre
Amphitheatre
An amphitheatre is an open-air venue used for entertainment and performances.There are two similar, but distinct, types of structure for which the word "amphitheatre" is used: Ancient Roman amphitheatres were large central performance spaces surrounded by ascending seating, and were commonly used...
.
Within the grounds are various monuments, statues
Statues
Statues is a popular children's game, often played in Australia but with versions throughout the world.-General rules:# A person starts out as the "Curator" and stands at the end of a field. Everyone else playing stands at the far end...
and memorials.
Starting at the bottom of the gardens, a large statue of General Louis Botha
Louis Botha
Louis Botha was an Afrikaner and first Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa—the forerunner of the modern South African state...
(First prime minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
of the Union of South Africa
Union of South Africa
The Union of South Africa is the historic predecessor to the present-day Republic of South Africa. It came into being on 31 May 1910 with the unification of the previously separate colonies of the Cape, Natal, Transvaal and the Orange Free State...
) on horseback dominates the lawn.
Delville Wood
The Battle of Delville Wood was one of the early engagements in the 1916 Battle of the Somme in the First World War. It took place between 14 July and 3 September, between the armies of the German Empire and allied British and South African forces...
War Memorial
War memorial
A war memorial is a building, monument, statue or other edifice to celebrate a war or victory, or to commemorate those who died or were injured in war.-Historic usage:...
is a tribute to South African troops who died during the First World War as well as a plaque in memory of those that died during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
.
Two levels above that is a statue of prime minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
J.B.M. Hertzog.
The South African Police Memorial
South African Police Memorial
The South African Police Memorial is located in the grounds of the Union Buildings in Pretoria and commemorates officers of the South African Police Service who died in the line of duty. It was unveiled in 1984 by pres. P.W...
is located at the top right of the gardens.
The South African National Film, Video and Sound Archives is also located in the grounds of the Union Buildings, adjacent to the Police Memorial.
Laws Governing The Buildings
Because of the significance of the Voortrekker MonumentVoortrekker Monument
The Voortrekker Monument is a monument in the city of Pretoria, South Africa. The massive granite structure, built to honour the Voortrekkers who left the Cape Colony between 1835 and 1854, was designed by the architect Gerard Moerdijk who had the idea to design a "monument that would stand a...
and the Union Buildings in the national consciousness, a law in Pretoria limits the height of any building between the Voortrekker Monument and the Union Buildings such that the view between them remains unobstructed.
Powers and Duties
The Union Buildings share duties with Cape TownCape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
as the seat of the South African Government, as well as Pretoria sharing duties with Cape Town and Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein is the capital city of the Free State Province of South Africa; and, as the judicial capital of the nation, one of South Africa's three national capitals – the other two being Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Pretoria, the administrative capital.Bloemfontein is popularly and...
as the Capital Cities of South Africa.
Parliament spends the winter months in Pretoria, during the summer months it changes to Cape Town.
The official seat of the President are the Union Buildings in Pretoria and the Tuynhuys in Cape Town.
External links
- Office of the President of South Africa
- 360 degree Virtual Tour of the Union Buildings
- 50th Anniversary of the 1956 Woman's March - with pics of the original event
- Holiday in South Africa South Africa is a heady mix of third and first world cultures – along with the best and least crowded beaches in the world.