Pietermaritzburg

Municipality

Municipality: Msunduzi Local Municipality
District Municipality: Umgungundlovu District Municipality

Pietermaritzburg Tourism Bureau

Publicity House
Pietermaritzburg

Phone number: 033-345-1451
Fax number: 033-394-3535
Email: Email inquiry
Web: See the website

Pietermaritzburg is named after two pioneer (Voortrekker) leaders Pieter Retief and Gerrit Maritz

Attractions

Also see the neighbouring towns

A pioneer house built in 1846 by Petrus Pretorius at 333 Boom Street now houses a museum. Natal Museum is a natural museum displaying many African animals. The city hall was built in 1900 and is claimed to be the largest brick construction in the southern hemisphere. It has a 47m high clock tower with a Westminister chiming clock and a carillon of 12 bells. The hall has stained-glass windows.The Tatham Art Gallery is housed in the Old Supreme Court, built in 1871. In the gardens of the gallery are monuments such as Cloetes Cannon which was cast in Scotland in 1812 and brought here by Colonel Josias Cloete in 1842. The cannon was fired to let people know post has arrived. The Garden of Remembrance in Leinster Road commemorates the dead of the two world wars. There is a wooden cross made from wood obtained from the Delville Wood where a major battle occurred in World War I and in which many South Africans died. Sap oozes from the wooden cross around July each year, incidentally the anniversary of WW I. There are several Hindu temples, such as the Sri Siva Soobramoniar and the Marriamen temples, and Muslim mosques in Pietermaritzburg. In the 1860s many labourers immigrated from India to Natal to work on the sugar cane fields and later generations ventured into other economic activities. In Maritzburg Mall is a statue of Mahatma Gandhi paying tribute to the event when he was put out from a first-class railway carriage in 1893. This event is said to have begun his philosophy of peaceful resistance. Parks: Alexandra Park (65,5Ha) was founded in 1863 and named after the English Queen Alexandra. There are several sport facilities, such as cricket oval and cycle track, in the park. Botanic Gardens (44,5Ha) was founded in 1870. It contains a large collection of trees from many parts of the world. Doreen Clark Nature Reserve (5Ha) conserves an evergreen forest. There are picnic spots and walkways. Kershaw Park has tennis courts. Queen Elizabeth Park (93Ha) has indigenous trees and plants as well as small antelope. It has picnic spots and walkways. Wylie Park (8Ha) has many indigenous plants, such as azaleas. World View is 1'083m above the city on the old Howick road (R103) and offers a panoramic view on the valley below and further. This was the main road during early days and traces of the old wagons road can be seen.

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History

Pietermaritzburg was founded in 1838 by pioneer settlers. In 1843 the British captured the Republic of Natal and built Fort Napier here.

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Climate

Today's Weather Report for Pietermaritzburg

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