- Burgersdorp
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Burgersdorp
Burghersdorp— Town — Burgersdorp viewed from The Sentinel blockhouse
BurgersdorpCoordinates: 30°59′32″S 26°19′29″E / 30.99222°S 26.32472°ECoordinates: 30°59′32″S 26°19′29″E / 30.99222°S 26.32472°E Country South Africa Province Eastern Cape District municipality Ukhahlamba Local municipality Gariep Time zone South Africa Standard Time (UTC+2) Burgersdorp is a small town in the Ukhahlamba District Municipality of the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.
The Afrikaner Bond political party was founded in Burgersdorp in 1881.[1]
Contents
Transport
Rail
The first rail connection to Burgersdorp was opened on 19 March 1885.[2] Today Shosholoza Meyl provides passenger rail service to Burgersdorp on its Johannesburg-Bloemfontein-East London route.[3]
Road
Burgersdorp is located on the junction of the R58 and R391.
Society and culture
Sport
Match 18 of the 1910 British Lions tour to South Africa was played in Burgersdorp.
Museums, momuments and memorials
Ten of South Africa's National Monuments can be found in Burgersdorp. They include the Christ Church,[4] the Coetzee House,[5] the De Bruin House,[6] the Jubilee Fountain,[7] the Old Goal,[8] the Old Reformed Church Parsonage,[9] the Old Reformed Church Theological Seminary[10] as well as the three listed below in more detail.
The Sentinel Blockhouse
The Dutch Reformed ChurchDutch Reformed Church
This church was declared a National Monument in 1996.[11]
Blockhouse
A Second Boer War blockhouse overlooking the town, commonly known as the Sentinel was declared a National Monument in 1939.[12]
The replica (left) and original (right) Dutch Language MonumentsDutch Language Monument
See also: Afrikaans Language MonumentA monument to Dutch, build in 1893 is located in the town. The monument depicts a woman pointing her finger at a book in her hands. This monument was declared a National Monument in 1937.[13]
Although the main inscription on that monument refers to the Hollandse taal (Dutch language), it can be understood to mean Afrikaans, because the Hollandse taal in South Africa was only split since 1925. But the monument is officially reconized as a monument to Dutch.
The monument was damaged during the Anglo-Boer War, and Lord Milner had it removed. It was replaced with a replica in 1907. The original was later discovered in King William in 1939, and moved back to stand next to the replica in Burgersdorp.[14]
Some sources claim that Lord Milner had removed the original monument not because it was damaged, but because he was opposed to Dutch (and Afrikaans), and that the replica was built not by government but by a group of Afrikaners.[15]
References
- ^ From Capetown to Ladysmith; an unfinished record of the South African war. New York: Dodd, Mead and Company. 1900. pp. 25. http://www.archive.org/stream/fromcapetowntol00steegoog#page/n34/mode/1up. Retrieved 2009-11-24.
- ^ Theal, George McCall (1919). History of South Africa, from 1873 to 1884, twelve eventful years, with continuation of the history of Galekaland, Tembuland, Pondoland, and Bethshuanaland until the annexation of those territories to the Cape Colony, and of Zululand until its annexation to Natal. London: Allen. pp. 194,287. http://www.archive.org/stream/historyofsouthaf02theauoft#page/194/mode/1up. Retrieved 2009-11-24.
- ^ "Johannesburg-Bloemfontein-East London". Shosholoza Meyl. http://www.shosholozameyl.co.za/html-site/routes-jhb-blm-elondon.html. Retrieved 24 November 2009.
- ^ "Christ Church Church Street Burgersdorp". South African Heritage Resources Agency. http://196.35.231.29/sahra/HeritageSitesDetail.aspx?id=21470. Retrieved 24 November 2009.
- ^ "Coetzee House 51 Piet Retief Street Burgersdorp". South African Heritage Resources Agency. http://196.35.231.29/sahra/HeritageSitesDetail.aspx?id=21278. Retrieved 24 November 2009.
- ^ "De Bruin House 66 Van der Walt Street Burgersdorp". South African Heritage Resources Agency. http://196.35.231.29/sahra/HeritageSitesDetail.aspx?id=21277. Retrieved 24 November 2009.
- ^ "Jubilee Fountain Burger Square Burgersdorp". South African Heritage Resources Agency. http://196.35.231.29/sahra/HeritageSitesDetail.aspx?id=21244. Retrieved 24 November 2009.
- ^ "Old Gaol Van der Walt Street Burgersdorp". South African Heritage Resources Agency. http://196.35.231.29/sahra/HeritageSitesDetail.aspx?id=21313. Retrieved 24 November 2009.
- ^ "Old Reformed Church Parsonage Piet Retief Street Burgersdorp". South African Heritage Resources Agency. http://196.35.231.29/sahra/HeritageSitesDetail.aspx?id=21471. Retrieved 24 November 2009.
- ^ "Old Reformed Church Theological Seminary Burgersdorp". South African Heritage Resources Agency. http://196.35.231.29/sahra/HeritageSitesDetail.aspx?id=21469. Retrieved 24 November 2009.
- ^ "Dutch Reformed Church Coetzee Street". South African Heritage Resources Agency. http://196.35.231.29/sahra/HeritageSitesDetail.aspx?id=21169. Retrieved 24 November 2009.
- ^ "Anglo-Boer War Blockhouse #1 Burgersdorp". South African Heritage Resources Agency. http://196.35.231.29/sahra/HeritageSitesDetail.aspx?id=21426. Retrieved 24 November 2009.
- ^ "Taal Monument Burger Square Burgersdorp". South African Heritage Resources Agency. http://196.35.231.29/sahra/HeritageSitesDetail.aspx?id=21177. Retrieved 24 November 2009.
- ^ Burgersdorp
- ^ http://www.dieafrikaansepatriot.co.za/phpbb/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=56&sid=3370195c4f8c4de374ca82619d6f2083
External links
Elundini • Senqu • Maletswai • Gariep • Oviston Nature Reserve
Cities and towns Barkly East • Burgersdorp • Steynsburg
Categories:- Populated places in the Eastern Cape
- Monuments and memorials in South Africa
- Eastern Cape geography stubs
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