Voortrekker Monument – Pretoria, South Africa

The Voortrekker Monument was built in honour of the Voortrekkers/Pioneers that left the Cape between 1835 and 1854. The architect was Gerard Moerdijk.

The Voortrekker Monument is not one of the largest monuments in the world, but forms an important part of South Africa's history. This monument commemorates the 16th of December 1838, the battle at Blood River. The Voortrekkers that fought at this battle made a vow to God to treat this day as a holy day/Sabbath and to build a church if He delivered them. Since then, every year on the 16th December a gathering takes place at this monument and churches across South Africa.

Note: The 16th of December is a public holiday in South Africa, Freedom Day. Each ethnic group has celebrations on this day.

The Cenotaph

The Cenotaph is located in the Hall of Heroes - this area is the most "culturally sensitive" area.

The granite Cenotaph (empty tomb) is the central focus point of this monument. It is the symbolic resting place of Piet Retief, a brave Voortrekker leader.

The sun shines only once a year onto the Cenotaph, exposing the words engraved into the granite tomb."Ons vir jou Suid-Afrika", translated it means "We for thee South Africa". The architect specifically designed the monument to let sunshine in on the 16th December only (Blood River battle).

Hall of Heroes:

This hall is made of marble (from Marble Hall in Mpumalanga). The floor has been laid out to show water circles. In the middle of this hall is the Cenotaph. Historical

Tapestry:

A historical tapestry with fifteen scenes from the Great Trek was donated by the ATKV Woman and Mother Movement. The scenes on this tapestry was painted by the artist W.H.Coetzer and nine women worked for eight years to complete the tapestry with its 3.3 million stiches.

Sculpture of Woman and 2 children:

This bronze sculpture is on the outside of the monument. Anton van Wouw was the artist for this sculpture that pays homage to the strength and courage of the Vorrtrekker women.

Museum:

The museum was added later to this monument to the Voortrekkers. It has a large collection of artefacts dating back from The Great Trek and the years thereafter. If you are interested in South Africa and its history - this is one of the places you need to visit.