|
The former capital of a Boer republic and now capital of the Free State, Bloemfontein is a pretty city with thousands of rose bushes and some poignant memorials.
History
Though historically a predominantly Afrikaner settlement, Bloemfontein was officially founded in 1846 by British army major Henry Douglas Warden as a British outpost in the Transoranje region. The town, as a colonial town, was founded in the 1850 when Major Henry Warden laid the foundation of the Victorian building. Not far from the Boer Town Vryheid. At this stage the area was occupied by various groups of peoples including Cape Colony Trek Boers, Griqua and Basotho. Bloemfontein literally means a fountain of flowers; because the area was already inhabited by the Basotho society it has a Sotho name 'Mangaung' meaning a place of cheetahs. The local rugby team is now known as the cheetahs. With colonial policy shifts the region changed into the Orange River Sovereignty (1848-1854) and eventually the Orange Free State Republic (1854-1902). From 1902-1910 it served as the capital of the Orange River Colony and since that time as the provincial capital of the Orange Free State (now Free State). In 1910 it became the Judicial Capital of South Africa.
The old Raadsaal in Bloemfontein, with the statue of Christiaan de Wet. Picture: Wikipedia 1854-1898
As the capital of the Orange Free State Republic the growth and maturing of the Republic resulted in the growth of the town. Numerous public buildings that remain in use to day were constructed. This was largely facilitated by the excellent governance of the Republic (which acquired the term model republic) and the compensation from the British for the loss of the diamond rich Griqualand area.
A railway line was built in 1890 connecting Bloemfontein to Cape Town.
The writer J. R. R. Tolkien was born in the city on January 3, 1892, though his family left South Africa while he was still a child following the death of his father, Arthur Tolkien (1896). He recorded that his earliest memories were of "a hot country".
Second Anglo-Boer War/South African War
In 1899, the city was the site of the Bloemfontein Conference, which failed to prevent the outbreak of the Anglo-Boer War. The conference was a final attempt to avert a war between England and the Transvaal; with its failure the stage was set for the Anglo-Boer War.
The rail line from Cape Town proved to be critical to the British in occupying the city later
On March 13, 1900, during the Anglo-Boer War, British forces captured the city and built a concentration camp nearby to house Boer women and children. The National Women's Memorial, on the outskirts of the city, pays homage to the 45,000 women and children (including up to 17,000 black people) who died in these camps
Recent history
Until 1994 the city was best known as the sole judicial capital of South Africa. It remains the seat for the Supreme Court Of Appeal (formerly the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court)and is generally therefore regarded as the judicial capital. It is also an administrative centre with many private hospitals and educational institutions.
for a history of Soccer in South Africa
Sources
http://www.places.co.za/html/bloemfontein.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloemfontein
Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein
This stadium, in Bloemfontein at the heart of South Africa, will host five first round and one second round match. Picture: http://www.sa2010.gov.za/
