Bloemfontein

Geography and demography

Located at 1.400 m of Altitude, the town of Bloemfontein counts 370.000 inhabitants for a metropolitan Agglomération of more than 650.000 inhabitants.

Its name means “fountain with the flowers” in Dutch.

Following the reorganization of the Municipality S at the end of the years 1990, Bloemfontein was gathered with the towns of Thaba 'Nchu and Botshabelo in the news local Municipalité of Mangaung.

Service road

The Aéroport of Bloemfontein (ex- JB Hertzog Airport) is located at 10 km in the East of the city.

Bloemfontein is in the center of the country and is a node of railway and road communication.

History and policy

Bloemfontein is a historical city afrikaner founded in 1846 by a British major . It was the Capitale of the republic boer of the free State of Orange of 1854 with 1902.

During the War of Boers and the occupation by the British troops, the latter build there one of largest the Concentration camps where several thousands of women and children boers are interned. In 1900, it is the first camp visited by Emily Hobhouse which will describe of them the devastations caused with the civilians by the Malnutrition and the ill treatments.

In 1910, the city is retained to be the legal capital of the new whole Dominion of the South African Union.

In 1912, Bloemfontein accommodates the assembly constitutive of a anti-colonial black movement, the African National congress (ANC). Preserving city under the mode of Apartheid, it is politically dominated by the ANC since 1994 thanks to the black electorate of the townships and old the Bantoustan S whereas the white electorate shares between the official opposition “democratic Alliance” and the “Front of Freedom”, started from extreme-right-hand side afrikaner.

Since 2000, Bloemfontein integrated the local municipality of Mangaung into the side of the black cities of Thaba 'Nchu and Botshabelo.

Of 2001 with 2005, the mayor of the municipality of Mangaung is Pappi Mokoena (ANC). In October 2005, it was suspended of all its functions within the ANC and of the town hall following the discovery of overpowering evidence of frauds and corruption. The investigation is in hand (in July, the mayor, his wife, its door word and its political adviser had been already placed as a police custody first once).

The October 18th 2005, Eva Moiloa is named mayor by interim of the municipality of Mangaung. After the elections of March 1st 2006, the station falls to Getrude Mothupi.

In November 2005, whereas the city is limed in the political scandal, the municipality of Mangaung proposes that the town of Bloemfontein is renamed name of Thabure , the name of the white horse of the former chief chief Basotho Lerotholi (a small son of the king Moshoeshoe, founder of the Basotho nation). Thabure means " destructor of its ennemis" and the proposal emanates at the origin of the " organization of the culure Basotho".

Tourism

This provincial capital presents a historical center town similar to that of Pretoria.

Its more beautiful monuments nevertheless are more gathered on the main street " President Brand Street" and on " Charles Street".

the fourth Raadsaal (1893), volksraad of the republic boer in front of which throne impressive and admirable a Statue equestrian of the General Christiaan de Wet, hero of the war anglo-boer,
the National Museum, open in 1915, with its section of Ethnology and an archaeological exposure.
the Court of Appeal (legal high court of the country),
Old Government Building
the town hall is surmounted cupolas and is decorated of an imposing gantry. It is also used as center of congress, presenting a collection of tables and photographs on the history of Bloemfontein,
the statues of the presidents Johannes Henricus Brand and Francis Reitz,
Old Presidency (1886), official residence of the former presidents of the free State of Orange.

A little further, the first raadsaal (1849), older building of the city, is a covered thatch small house built in the beginning to be used as school.

The residence of James Barry Hertzog (Hertzog House) between 1895 and 1924 is on Goddard street. It became a museum dedicated to the former South-African Prime Minister whose statue dominates Hertzog Square.

The church with the two bell-towers (Twin Spired) is one of the monuments emblematic of Bloemfontein.

The museum of art Oliewenhuis is located in a remarkable monument of Architecture afrikaner (1935). It was formerly the residence of the general governor of South Africa then of the president of South Africa before becoming a national Musée, inaugurated in 1989 and dedicated to the old and recent South-African artises like Thomas Baines, Jan Ernst Volschenk, Pieter Wenning, Jacobus Hendrik Pierneef and Willem Coetzer.

Bloemfontein also presents several parks and gardens like Victoria Park, Hamilton Park and King' S Park (arranged around the lake “Logan Log”).

The north of the city, Naval Hill allows to have a panoramic sight on the center of Bloemfontein.

Outside Bloemfontein, the National Women' S Memorial pays homage to the 28.000 women and children boers died in the concentration camps set up by the British during the war of 1899 - 1902. Ashes of Emily Hobhouse were deposited in a niche integrated into the monument. The monument is located close to the museum of the war anglo-boer which evokes this dramatic episode of the tumultuous relations between Boers and Britanniques. In front of the museum, an equestrian statue represents the departure with the war of a combatant boer bidding his farewell with his wife.

Archbishop's palace

Archdiocese of Bloemfontein
Cathedral of Bloemfontein

Personalities related to Bloemfontein

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien: author of the Lord of the Rings , was born in Bloemfontein.
James Barry Hertzog: Prime Minister and elected official of the province
Kobie Coetsee: elected official representing Bloemfontein-West with the Parliament, minister, president of the Senate.
Zola Budd : athlete
Ryk Neethling: native of the city, swimmer Olympic champion.
François Steyn: native of the city, rugby player, world champion 2007.

External bonds

the Alliance Fran1caise of Bloemfontein
Photographs of Bloemfontein
Other photographs of Bloemfontein
Oliewenhuis Art Museum
Museum of the war anglo-boer in Bloemfontein
Official site of the town of Bloemfontein

Simple: Bloemfontein

Random links: