Church Square is the historic heart of Pretoria, laid out by city founder Marthinus Pretorius in 1855. At its center stands the statue of Paul Kruger, President of the South African Republic, sculpted by Anton van Wouw in 1896. The square is surrounded by historic Victorian and Edwardian buildings including the Old Raadsaal and Palace of Justice. The site witnessed Kruger's state funeral in 1904 and remains a gathering place today.
Weekday mornings for photography with fewer people. October-November for jacaranda blooms nearby. The square is best explored on foot as part of a Pretoria city walk.
faq.subtitle Church Square
The statue was commissioned by Sammy Marks and sculpted by Anton van Wouw in 1896. It was cast in bronze in Rome and arrived in South Africa in 1899 as the Boer War started. The four bronze Boer soldiers spent 1902-1921 in England before returning to take their position on the square in 1954.
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