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Photo: Davinci77, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.Explore the rich history, natural wonders, and cultural landmarks of Pretoria, South Africa's beautiful administrative capital. Test your knowledge on everything from historic monuments to famous residents!
Jacaranda Rookie 0–4 · Township Explorer 5–8 · True Pretoria Native 9–10
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South Africa is one of the few countries with three capitals: Pretoria is home to the government, Cape Town hosts Parliament and Bloemfontein is the judicial capital. Johannesburg is the country's biggest city, but not a capital at all.
Photo: Davinci77, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
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The Voortrekker Monument honors the pioneer history of the Afrikaans settlers who migrated inland during the Great Trek of the 1830s. Inside, the Hall of Heroes features one of the world's largest continuous marble friezes, depicting scenes from this epic journey. Every year on December 16, a ray of sunlight shines directly onto the cenotaph inside.
Photo: John Walker, Images of Africa Taken from de-Wikipedia, where it had been uploade, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.
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The Apies River flows directly through Pretoria and was named by early settlers after the many vervet monkeys living along its banks. Though largely canalized today to prevent flooding, it remains a key geographical feature of the city. The famous Zoo suspension bridge crosses right over this historic watercourse.
Photo: NJR ZA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
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A koeksister is made of plaited dough, deep-fried and then plunged straight into ice-cold sugar syrup, which gives it a crunchy crust and a sticky, juicy inside. The name comes from 'koek', the Dutch and Afrikaans word for a cake or biscuit, and Afrikaner families traditionally baked them to raise money for churches and schools.
Photo: Arnold Goodway, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.
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The Tswaing crater was formed about 220,000 years ago when a meteorite crashed into the Earth. Today, it features a saline lake at its center, which has been used for salt harvesting by local communities for centuries. It is one of the best-preserved meteorite impact craters in the world and has a scenic hiking trail.
Photo: Hp.Baumeler, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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Designed by Sir Herbert Baker and completed in 1913, the Union Buildings form the official seat of the South African government. Baker designed them to symbolize a united country after years of conflict. An interesting detail is that the two wings represent the English and Afrikaans heritages, joined by a central semicircular colonnade.
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Melrose House is a beautiful Victorian mansion where the Treaty of Vereeniging, ending the Second Boer War, was signed on 31 May 1902. Today, the house is a museum showcasing preserved Victorian furniture, stained glass, and historic military relics. Visitors can even view the exact table where the peace treaty was signed.
Photo: Cvanrooyen, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
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Proclaimed by President Paul Kruger in 1895, Groenkloof Nature Reserve is the oldest game sanctuary on the entire African continent. It was established to protect wild animals from rampant hunting. Today, visitors can go mountain biking, hiking, and view wildlife like giraffes, zebras, and various antelope right inside the city limits.
Photo: JMK, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
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The University of Pretoria is affectionately known as Tuks, a name derived from its predecessor, the Transvaal University College (TUC). Established in 1908, it is one of South Africa's top research institutions. Its legendary old mascot, a tall statue called Oom Gert, was so popular that student residences kept trying to steal it from each other.
Photo: University of Pretoria, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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The first two Jacaranda trees were imported from Brazil in 1888 and planted in the garden of Myrtle Lodge in Sunnyside, where a primary school now stands. Today, Pretoria boasts over 70,000 of these trees, which turn the city into a sea of purple every October. Because of this spectacular annual bloom, Pretoria is widely known across South Africa as the Jacaranda City.
Photo: João Medeiros, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.
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