We stepped back in time on our tour around Church Square in Pretoria. I was not sure about this one because the inner city is just somewhere I don’t go. It’s congested, with many people, cars, buses, etc.; to top it off, it could be dangerous, especially if you find yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The Church Square Revival Group is attempting to change this by offering tours. I noticed the municipality is also working on cleaning up the city and making it safer for everyone. So, why not? I decided to go for it. I convinced Tanya to come with me, and there we went on a beautiful Saturday morning.
The tour started at 10h00. We all met at the Old Raadsaal. There were quite a few people in the group, which surprised me, considering my previous concerns. The tour started with an introduction of the guides and a brief history lesson of what we would be seeing today. Have a look at the Rediscover Church Square Brochure. This brochure provides an extensive historical overview for those with a keen interest in its rich history.
We went to the first building, the Rentbel Towers. We went up to the rooftop and got a proper view of Church Square and the surrounding area. You can even see the Old South African Reserve Bank building from the rooftop.
At the time, the building was undergoing renovations, and all the glass was being replaced on the outside of the building. It was an excellent way to start the tour with a proper view.
Next, we went to the Old Raadsaal building. This is where President Paul Kruger’s office is, and the South African Parliament operated from 1891 – 1902. The building is 133 years old. I was planning on sitting at Mr. Kruger’s desk, but they saw tourists like me coming from a mile away, and these areas were all behind glass. You can look, but no touching. 😁
The Old Raadsaal is where many serious meetings were held. We could walk around this area and sit in the chairman’s chair. Many took the opportunity to snap a picture here. It’s a beautiful section of the building. The tour loops up stairways through the Raadsaal into hallways with old statues and paintings. It’s an impressive building to see.
Onward to, the next building was the Palace of Justice. This is where the Rivonia Trial of 1963 took place. During the trial, Nelson Mandela and some other prominent ANC members were charged with treason and subsequently jailed.
Underneath the court are jail cells that keep prisoners for their court appearances. It is said that Nelson Mandela wrote the Freedom Charter on the cell wall during his time there. I can’t confirm how true this is. I took the pic anyway; even the accompanying policeman thought it was worth a shot.
I just know that this jail cell is not a place you want to be for the wrong reasons, like to appear in court. Law is still practiced here daily.
Next, we visited the Tudor Chambers building. This building was commissioned by the business magnet George Heys in the very late 1800s. It was used as office space back then, and it’s still used today. I saw office doors with lawyers’ nameplates on them. This building is also beautiful, from the lift to the glass windows to the exterior. I understand the architecture is of the late Victorian era.
Our second last stop was the statue of Oom Paul Kruger. The statue dominates Church Square and has been there since 1954. It was buzzing around the statue with people on the benches and lawns taking a break.
Others were there to assist tourists with pictures. One of them even gave us a history lesson. The sky was beautiful on the day of the tour, and I got some nice shots all around the statue.
Our last stop was Capital Theatre. This building must have been beautiful back in the day. It looked pretty rundown as we made our way through it. The guide and security guard on duty tried to show us what they could.
The building had no power, so natural light was the only option. Exploring the building in the dark was an experience, and I got some good shots.
The building looks best from the stage looking up towards the balcony and from way up on the balcony looking down. It must have been an outing to see a show in this theatre back in the day.
My overall experience of the tour was good. I found it interesting to step back in time and walk through these buildings. I couldn’t help wondering how life would have been back then. If you’re interested in the history of the time or just curious, give this tour a go.
Church Square Revival Group offers free tours regularly, and Time Travelers Adventures offers paid tours. We went with the Church Square Revival Group, which was good enough. For more in-depth details, see some helpful links below.
This tour will take 2 – 4 hours, depending on how fast the group moves. You need to wear comfortable shoes and ensure the camera batteries are charred, and the memory card is clean. You are going to want to take a lot of pictures. It’s not every day that you get the opportunity to walk through buildings that are 100+ years old.
Along the tour, there were spots where you could buy something to eat and drink. There were street vendors from whom I purchased soda, and I recall us passing by a Mugg & Bean. It’s ideal for one of those fancy coffees.
That is it from me on the Rediscover Church Square Pretoria Review. I hope you found the information helpful and that it inspires you to go on the tour yourself.
Some Helpful Links
