Pietermaritzburg
Province
Pietermaritzburg ( popularly known as Maritzburg ) is located in the municipality of Msunduzi and is the capital of the South African province of KwaZulu -Natal. 2011, the city had 223 519 inhabitants.
- 8.1 Sons and daughters of the town
- 8.2 personalities who were active in the city
History
Pietermaritzburg was founded in early 1839 by Voortrekkers and named after Pieter Retief and Gerrit Maritz. It was the capital of the Republic of Natalia. 1843 Britain occupied the area, and Pietermaritzburg was the capital of the British colony of Natal.
In 1901, the Government of Natal in Pietermaritzburg created the Geological Survey of Natal and Zululand.
During the First World War was at Fort Napier in Pietermaritzburg a concentration camp for German prisoners from the German colonies in Africa. A large proportion of these prisoners came from Lüderitz in German South West Africa, now Namibia.
After the 1994 elections were both Pietermaritzburg and Ulundi main cities of the province of KwaZulu -Natal. When the African National Congress ( ANC) after the elections 2004, the provincial government, Pietermaritzburg was again the sole capital of the province.
Economy
The economic structure of the city has its priorities in the processing of aluminum products, manufacturing of automotive parts, furniture, and cut flowers. International competition events in mountain biking and BMX as well as the Agricultural Exhibition Royal Agricultural Show contribute to the tourist appeal of Pietermaritzburg.
Traffic
Pietermaritzburg is on the significance for the national road in South Africa N3. This comes from the port city of Durban and continues north in the metropolitan area of Johannesburg. Portions of this highway are toll roads in the vicinity of the city. The regional road R33 linking Dundee and Vryheid to Piet Retief far from Swaziland and ends at its junction with the N17. In the opposite direction the regional road R56, which establishes the connection to the N2 between Port Shepstone and Kokstad runs.
The national rail network of Transnet allows for Pietermaritzburg compounds in the northern KwaZulu -Natal and in the neighboring provinces of Mpumalanga, Free State and Gauteng after. To the south, emanating from the city route reaches the Durban metropolitan area, in the deep-sea port, a major portion of the national import and export volume is turned up. Here there at several stations of the transition to the regional network Metrorail Durban. Other side routes run from Pietermaritzburg to the north-eastern city of Greytown and in the south-west, distant Kokstad. Shosholoza Meyl offers for personal travel connections, coming from Durban to Johannesburg to Cape Town via Bloemfontein and Kimberley.
In international air transport, the city is only accessible via the King Shaka International Airport in Durban. Exist for smaller aircraft and take-off facilities at the regional airport Pietermaritzburg Airport in the south London borough of Oribi in a paved runway length of 2200 meters.
Attractions
Structures
The British history of the town is visible in the form of typical parks and gardens and numerous large, well-preserved colonial buildings. Predominant are the Edwardian and Victorian style. A landmark of the city is built in 1893, City Hall with a 47 meter tall bell tower ( built in 1900 ), the largest brick building in the Southern Hemisphere and since 1996 a national monument.
Other main attractions Pietermaritzburg represent the Church of the Vow of 1839 and the Fort Napier of 1843 dar.
Public institutions
There are several museums and galleries in the city, such as the Natal Museum and the KwaZulu -Natal Railway Museum with a historic station building.
The Tatham Art Gallery in the building of the Old Supreme Court has an extensive collection of works of art and decorative arts objects.
Founded in 1874, KwaZulu -Natal National Botanical Garden are typical plants of the grasslands of KwaZulu -Natal shown, especially with the genera Kniphofia, Watsonia and Dierama. About 80 percent of its campus represent the native plant communities of Ngongoni Veld.
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was expelled in 1893 in the vicinity of the city from the for whites only certain compartment of a train, which influenced him decisively and ultimately led to the political strategy of Satyagraha. In his honor, a statue in front of the Colonial Building was built, which was unveiled on 6 June 1993 by Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
Surroundings
In the vicinity of Pietermaritzburg are the hilly Natal Midlands.
Religion
Members of many religions, such as Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, but also African religions can be found in Pietermaritzburg.
Education
Pietermaritzburg, together with Durban seat, which was founded in 1909 as the University of Natal, University of KwaZulu - Natal ( UKZN ).
Furthermore, there is the Umgungundlovu FET College ( UFET ), an educational institution with technically aligned profile.
In Wartburg near Pietermaritzburg is the Wartburg Kirchdorf School, one of the most prestigious and award-winning schools in the area.
Sports
From 1953 to 1981, the Roy Hesketh Circuit, the only permanent racetrack in the present province of KwaZulu -Natal was in Pietermaritzburg. The track was named after the South African racing driver Roy Hesketh. In Pietermaritzburg South Africa's Roland Schoeman presented on August 8, 2009 to set a world record in the 50 - meter freestyle swimming on the 25- meter track.
Personalities
Sons and daughters of the town
- Alan Paton (1903-1988), writer and anti-apartheid
- Bessie Head (1937-1986), writer
- Roy Hesketh (1915-1944), racing driver
- J. Clyde Mitchell (1918-1995), ethnologist
- Graham Payn (1918-2005), actor, singer
- Bradley Potgieter (* 1989), cyclist
- Roxanne Kimberly Barker (* 1991), football player
Personalities who were active in the city
- John William Colenso (1814-1883), English theologian, Anglican Bishop
- Gueinzius Wilhelm (1813-1874), German naturalist