Graaff-Reinet

Graaff-Reinet is the older fourth Ville of South Africa. It is located at 759 m of altitude in the province of the Cape-Eastern , on an axis between George (Cape-Westerner) and Bloemfontein (State-Free). Its nickname is the jewel of the Désert of Karoo.

Demography

Populated of 40.000 inhabitants, the city forms part since 2001 new municipality of Cambedoo (50 000 inhabitants).

History

The town of Graaff-Reinet was founded in 1786 by the Trekboers in full desert of Karoo on the buttresses of the Sneeuberg. She was baptized in the honor of the governor of the Colonie of the Cape, Cornelis Jacob VAN DE GRAAFF and of his Reinet wife.

In 1795, the inhabitants briefly set up their city in République before returning under the bosom Dutch then British.

It is starting from 1804 that the burgomaster Swedish, Andries Stockenstrom and the architect French, Louis-Michel Thibault, undertook to make of Graaff-Reinet “the pearl of the karoo” which counts today more than 200 buildings registered with the national heritage.

At the time of the municipal elections of March 1st 2006, the municipality of Camdeboo to which Graaff-Reinet belongs is dominated by ANC with 8 elected officials (and 67,27% of the voices) against three elected officials with the democratic Alliance.

Tourism

Among the many monuments and interesting places of the city, one can quote around Church Street, the main street, Drostdy (1804), historical seat of the burgomaster, Old Residency, old residence of the judge, Reinet house, the old presbytery, Dutch Reformed Church (1887), the town hall, the monuments with the boers and Andries Pretorius.

In the surroundings, the visitors can reach the Karoo Nature Reserve and the Vallée of Desolation.

Literature

Jacques Nougier - Notebook of Africas , ED. Harmattan, 160 p. (2006) ISBN: 2-296-01569-7. To see: ostriches of Graaff Reinet .

Catalog of films

"Red Dust" (2004) of Tom Hooper, with Hilary Swank.

External bonds

Site of Graaff-Reinet

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