Country with the main city of Praetoria. Melrose House Museum Mansion

Pretoria is one of the largest cities in South Africa, the “main” capital of the country (recall that there are three capitals).

Pretoria is located in the north of Gauteng province.

The city of Pretoria was founded in 1855. It was originally called Pretoria Philadelphia (Brotherly Love Pretoria), a name given to the new settlement by Marthinus Pretorius, one of the leaders of the Boers. He named the city after his father Andries Pretorius, the national hero of the Boers, famous for his victory over the Zulus at the Battle of the River of Blood. On May 1, 1860, Pretoria became the capital of the Republic of South Africa (ZAR), after the first Boer War, Pretoria became the capital of the Transvaal province. Pretoria continued to be the capital of the state even after the creation of the Union of South Africa. Now the government of South Africa is located in Pretoria.

Currently, there is a fierce debate in South Africa over the renaming of Pretoria. On May 26, 2005, the South African Geographical Names Council (SAGNC) proposed that Pretoria be renamed Tshwane. The name Tshvane is now the metropolitan municipal area (metropolitan metropolis), which includes Pretoria. Tshwane is the Tswana name for a river that flows through Pretoria and is called Apies in English.

The renaming of Pretoria in Tshwane was opposed by the white inhabitants of the country, descendants of the Afrikaners who founded the city.

The population of Pretoria exceeds 2.3 million people, most of them black Africans. The predominant languages are Pedi, Afrikaans and Tswana; as elsewhere in South Africa, English is common.

Pretoria is located about 50 km north of, in an area with a temperate dry subtropical climate. Pretoria is characterized by long hot and rainy summers and short cool and dry winters. The temperature in Pretoria fluctuates in winter - from 5°C to 19°C, in summer - from 18°C to 29°C. Very rarely, once or twice a century, snow falls.

Pretoria is a city with an interesting history and there is something for tourists to see. The Union Buildings, the official seat of the South African government, and the forts of Pretoria are very interesting.

The most famous museums in Pretoria are the Paul Kruger House Museum, the Melrose House, the Voortrekker Monument, the Transvaal Museum, and the African Window Museum.

The house-museum of Paul Kruger, one of the leaders of the Boers and the President of the Republic of South Africa, was built in Pretoria in 1884. The museum preserves items of the original furnishings of the late 19th century, some personal belongings of Paul Kruger. Kruger's house is one of the first in Pretoria to be lit by electricity.

Melrose House is a beautifully preserved Victorian mansion built in 1886. This house was named after Melrose's famous Abbey. During the second Boer War, this building was the headquarters of the British army. Today, this house-museum is an excellent example of the architectural styles and interiors of the Victorian era. In the building you can see colorful stained-glass windows, paintings by English artists, beautiful carpets, ornate ceilings and fireplaces, valuable porcelain.

Transvaal Museum is the oldest natural history museum in South Africa, it was founded in 1892 as the State Museum (Staatsmuseum). Here is the richest collection of paleontological and archaeological finds, including the famous finds from the Sterkfontein caves; large collections of mammals, birds, reptiles and invertebrates.

The African Window Museum is the national museum of South African history and culture. Here are collected archaeological finds, works of art, historical documents and many other exhibits.

Pretoria is home to the National Botanical Garden, founded in 1946 and covering an area of 76 hectares. It presents many plants that grow in South Africa, and the visitor can get acquainted with the various biomes of the country: savannah, forests, fynbos and others. The garden is home to almost two hundred species of birds and several species of reptiles and small mammals.

Pretoria also operates the National Zoological Garden of South Africa (known as the Pretoria Zoo, The Pretoria Zoo). In the enclosures of the zoo, founded in 1899, today you can see predators, primates, many other representatives of the African fauna (and not only African - the zoo has an Australian department), visit an aquarium and a terrarium.

Pretoria is home to the Loftus Versfeld Stadium, which will host the 2010 FIFA World Cup matches.

Pretoria is one of the leading academic centers in South Africa. The University of Pretoria, the Tshwane University of Technology, the University of South Africa, the largest institution of distance education, and many other educational institutions are located here.

Capital of South Africa, adm. c. prov. Transvaal. The city was founded in 1855 by Boer settlers and named Pretoria in honor of Martinus Pretorius (Pretorius, 1819 1901), the first president of the Transvaal Republic. Geographical names of the world: Toponymic ... ... Geographic Encyclopedia

- (Latin praetorium, from praetor praetor). The dwelling of the praetor, governor of the province; place of official presence of the Roman rulers in Jerusalem. Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language. Chudinov A.N., 1910. PRETORIA lat. praetorium ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

- (Greek praitorion; lat. Praetorium), service residence of Rome. governor, and the building in which P. was located, at the same time. served as a barracks (Mt 27:27; Mk 15:16). In Jerusalem P. Pilate interrogated Jesus. Perhaps in the P. building there was also ... ... Brockhaus Bible Encyclopedia

Exist., number of synonyms: 2 city (2765) capital (274) ASIS synonym dictionary. V.N. Trishin. 2013 ... Synonym dictionary

Pretoria- 1) Latin word (proe torium). Initially, it meant the "commander's tent" in the Roman camp, and later (not to mention other meanings) came to mean the palace in which the ruler of the province lived and where he held court. In the New... ... Dictionary of Biblical Names

PRETORIA- SOUTH AFRICA Pretoria, the capital of South Africa (seat of the executive authorities), is located on the Apis River in the province of Gauteng, sixty kilometers north of Johannesburg. The population of the city delivers 1,073,000 inhabitants. Pretoria ... ... Cities and countries

Pretoria- Pretoria. Schematic plan: 1. National Historical and Cultural Museum and Open Air Museum, 2. P. Kruger House Museum, 3. Palace of Justice, 4. Post Office, 5. Kerk Plats Square, 6. Municipal Library, 7. Anglican Cathedral, 8. City hall, ... ... Encyclopedic reference book "Africa"

- (Pretoria) the capital of the Republic of South Africa and the administrative center of the province of Transvaal. It is located in the north-eastern part of the country, at an altitude of 1738 m, on both banks of the non-navigable Apis River. An important transport hub (railway and ... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

Table. ex. Republic of South Africa (see), now ch. mountains British colony of the Transvaal. 21161 inhabitants (1904), belong to the white race; museum, gymnasium, normal school, teacher's seminary, mining academy. P. basics. in 1850 by the Boers and ... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron

- (Mat.27:27, Mat.15:16, etc.). Under the praetorium in Jerusalem in the time of Pilate, one should understand the dwelling and main residence of Pilate. As a rule, the rulers of Judea did not live in Jerusalem, but in Caesarea; but on well-known big holidays, when on ... ... Bible. Old and New Testaments. Synodal translation. Bible encyclopedia arch. Nicephorus.

Pretoria

Pretoria (Greek praytorion; lat. Praetorium), service residence of Rome. governor, and the building in which P. was located, at the same time. also served as a barracks (Mt 27:27; Mk 15:16). In Jerusalem P. Pilate interrogated Jesus. Possibly, there was also a prison in P.'s building:

1) some information about the whereabouts of P. in Jerusalem (John 18:28) gives only Mark 15:8, from which it can be understood that P. was located in an elevated position. parts of the city. In front of the building itself, in which Pilate interrogated Jesus (John 18:33; 19:9) and where the soldiers mocked him (Mt 27:27; Mk 15:16), there was a paved elevation (see Gawvafa), where the governor held his court (see Court) (John 19:13). Traditional it was believed that P. was in the fortress of Anthony. Although the residence of the procurator in Jerusalem was usually not located there (see below), it can still be assumed that Pilate, during the restless, as he knew from experience, Easter feast with its numerous. pilgrims could prefer the fortress, located. directly near the temple square, so that in case of unrest, immediate action can be taken (cf. Acts 21:31ff.) . Int. the courtyard of the fortress of Anthony was paved with large limestone slabs, which gave reason to many researchers to believe that it was here that the judgment seat mentioned in John 19:13 was located. But since the courtyard was inside the fortress, the high priests in this case had to go where the pagans lived, and this made the Jews ritually unclean (cf. John 18:28). Dr. Bible commentators tried to identify P. with Herod's palace, which was located on the west. hill and in which the procurators usually stopped when they visited Jerusalem. Flavius Josephus reports that in front of this palace the governor Hessius Florus held court. acc. with this, apparently, it is necessary to consider P. part of ter. a palace, to which a paved elevation (Gavvafa) adjoined from the east, where the high priest could step without defiling himself;
2) in Caesarea P. was the palace of Herod (Acts 23:35). AT Acts 25:23 it is understood that the courtroom in which the interrogations took place (Greek acroatherion) was inside the palace;
3) location of P. mentioned in see Philippians (Phil 1:13), it is difficult to determine, it all depends on where the message itself was written. In Ephesus, P. was called the residence of the governor, and in Rome - the barracks of the Praetorians, the personal guard of the emperor (cf. Acts 28:16).

Brockhaus Bible Encyclopedia. F. Rinecker, G. Mayer. 1994 .

Synonyms:

See what "Pretoria" is in other dictionaries:

Exist., number of synonyms: 2 city (2765) capital (274) ASIS synonym dictionary. V.N. Trishin. 2013 ... Synonym dictionary

This term has other meanings, see Pretoria (meanings). City of Pretoria Pretoria Flag Coat of arms ... Wikipedia

And also one of the largest cities of this state is Pretoria. Where is this settlement located, what are its natural features, what kind of people live there, and the most interesting thing is how it was formed. Read about all this below.

General information about South Africa

First, let's look at exactly where South Africa is located on the world map. located at the southernmost point of the African continent. His possessions include the famous. This is not only one of the most beautiful viewing platforms in the world, but also the intersection of the Indian and 155 km southeast of Good Hope is Cape Agulhas - the southernmost point of Africa. Looking at South Africa on the world map, everyone will pay attention to the fact that the country is partly included in the Namibia desert zone. Therefore, gusty winds always blow in the north-west of the republic, and temperature differences have the maximum difference in the region. The east coast is washed by the Indian Ocean, thanks to which the local climate is mild, tropical, with moderate rainfall. The western shores are an area of gusty winds and hurricanes that come from the Atlantic. Winters are windy and cold, while summers are warm but not hot. The central part of South Africa is practically uninhabited, since the area there is deserted.

Three capitals

The Republic of South Africa is one of the few states where several capitals are officially recognized at once. Pretoria is the administrative capital, as all representatives of the legislative power sit here. Parliament is located in Cape Town, and judicial representatives - in Bloemfontein. This state of affairs is explained by the fact that earlier South Africa was a confederate country, and different authorities were located in different places. After the Union of South Africa was formed, representatives of the previously separate powers began to work together, but did not change their location.

Historical summaries

In 1855, a new city officially appeared on our planet - Pretoria. Where it is now, it was founded almost 150 years ago by Martinus Pretorius, who named it after his father, Andries Pretorius. He, in turn, defeated the Zulus during the Battle of Bloody River. Five years later, Pretoria became the official capital of the Transvaal Republic (South Africa). During the first and second Boer Wars, the city was repeatedly besieged. As a result, part of the territories went into the possession of England, but the capital still remained independent. In 1910, after the unification of the Transvaali, the colony of the colony of Natal and the Cape Colony, the city became the administrative capital of the newly formed South Africa, and Cape Town became the legislative capital. Since 2001, Pretoria has also been the center of the province of Tswane.

Physical location of the city of Pretoria

Where is the administrative capital in relation to other cities in South Africa, as well as what landscapes prevail here, now let's try to figure it out. Firstly, the city is located in the northeastern part of the state and has no access to the sea. Johannesburg, the closest major neighbor of the capital, is located 55 kilometers from it in the southwest. In terms of geography, Pretoria is located, as it were, in the corridor between the southern plateau of the High Weld and the northern, lower plateau of the Bush Weld. It is also noteworthy that the city is located in a warm valley at an altitude of 1,339 meters above sea level. It is surrounded by the Magaliesberg Range, which protects it from winds and hurricanes that can come from both the desert and the ocean.

City weather

Due to the fact that the city of Pretoria is located in a zone protected by mountains, a very mild and warm climate has been established here. predominantly tropical, meaning long warm summers and very short, wet but not frosty winters. The hottest month is February, when the temperature can rise to +30 and even more. During this period, a lot of rain falls, but they are all strong and short-lived. July is considered the coldest month. During this period, the temperature drops to -1 Celsius. Very rarely (literally three times in a century, as it was recorded) snow will fall. But it immediately melts due to the fact that the earth is very warm.

Population and languages

We all know very well that even after the British colonization of southern Africa, these territories are still predominantly inhabited by representatives of the black race. But Pretoria in this regard is very different from the main part of the state. Here, more than 57 percent of the population make up. Basically, they all live in the city center, where the level of urbanization reaches its maximum. Closer to the outskirts and suburbs, of course, the natives of these lands settle. In Pretoria, as in all of South Africa, Afrikaans is the official language. However, the inhabitants of the capital understand English perfectly, and are also familiar with many local dialects, including Sesotho, Pedi, Zulu and many others.

General picture of the city

Nowadays, some people are often confused with which city - Pretoria or Canberra - is located in Africa. We immediately highlight that Canberra is located in Australia and is its only official capital. Pretoria is no less a large and developed city that dominates South Africa. In fact, confusing and not so difficult. Despite the fact that Africa is considered the poorest continent on the planet, the cities of its south have greatly succeeded in industry. Therefore, they are teeming with skyscrapers, wide highways, chic parks and theaters, recreation areas and nightclubs. Now, when you arrive there, you really get the impression that you are in Australia or America, where all the buildings, all the streets and details are mega-modern.

Afterword

We briefly examined what the city of Pretoria is like. Where is it located relative to other settlements in South Africa, that is, what is its geographical position, what is the climate and weather like there. We also learned what kind of people inhabit the capital of the republic, what languages they speak and what history they can boast of. If you want to get to know the city better, come personally!

Pretoria (Tswana)- political and diplomatic center of the country, administrative, and de facto national capital of South Africa. Affectionately referred to by the locals as the "Rosewood City" for the purple robes that blooming trees give it in summer, elegant and tranquil Pretoria is the exact opposite of its trendy and bustling neighbor Johannesburg, located just an hour away.

The population of the city is more than 1 million people, most of whom are government employees. Here you can feel the once powerful influence of Boer culture, but on the streets you will hear a polyphonic mixture of dialects - from southern Sotho to Mandarin.

Climate of Pretoria characterized as subtropical with long hot summers and short winters. Frequent summer showers are accompanied by short afternoon thunderstorms, sometimes ending in hail. As a rule, they are accompanied by flashes of lightning. Temperatures in summer fluctuate between 16°C at night and 30°C during the day. Winters are mild and dry with temperatures ranging from 5°C to 20°C. Snow here is extremely rare - once or twice a century.

The historical path of Pretoria was thorny and winding. The area where the municipality of Tswane is now located was home to the Sotho tribe for centuries. In the 15th century, representatives of the Ndbele people migrated to these lands and founded their settlements on the banks of the Tswane River (now the Apies River) - exactly where in 1855. city was founded. Its founder was Martinus Praetorius- the leader of the Voortrekkers ("Going forward" - the descendants of the Dutch who participated in the "Great Migration"), who named him after his father - Andries Pretorius. The elder Praetorius became a national hero of the Boers after his victory over the Zulu tribes at the Battle of Blood River, and also as a result of his participation in negotiations with the British, who recognized the independence of the Transvaal Republic. Pretoria was named capital of the Boer Republic of South Africa in 1860, and in 1910. after its unification with the Free State and the colonies of Cape and Natal, it received the status of the administrative capital of all of South Africa. In recent history, the city has become an international synonym for apartheid - it was in Pretoria that the trial was held, which resulted in the long-term imprisonment of Nelson Mandela. But everything changed in 1994, when, within these same walls, a former political prisoner took the oath of allegiance to the country as its first popularly elected president, and overnight the Union Buildings from a symbol of white neo-colonial domination turned into the personification of the triumph of justice.

Today, the Union Buildings, the Voortrekker Monument, the University of Pretoria, Church Square and the State Theater define the city's architectural character and history. The same can be said about one of the oldest and most famous sports facilities in South Africa - the Loftus Versfeld stadium, where in 2010. will host FIFA World Cup matches.

Pretoria is the center of the cultural life of the province. Here you will find magnificent museums, monuments, historical buildings and galleries, several beautiful national reserves where you can watch wildlife, as well as diamond mines that offer you to see with your own eyes the process of making real diamonds.

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