The Voortrekker Monument - South Africa’s largest Cenotaph

The remarkable Voortrekker Monument, immediately outside the city centre of Pretoria, is South Africa’s largest Cenotaph. This grandiose structure of granite evokes different views from different people. Some find it an intimidating building, too uninhibited and too demonstrative. Others find it striking, magnificent and strangely lovely.

The Voortrekker Monument is an authentic sign of history. It was inaugerated on 16 Desember 1949 in honour of the Great Trek (1835-1843). The central feature of the Voortrekker Monument is the symbolic grave of Piet Retief and his supporters, where a ray of sunlight falls directly on the grave on the 16th of December every year.

A lot has been written about this monument and it is certainly worth mentioning among other monuments of the world. It has also been compared with the Völkerschlachtdenkmal in Leipzig, Germany. Although the latter is eleven times larger, it looks similar to the Voortrekker Monument. Both monuments are rich in symbolism.

Around 200 000 visitors (of which 86% overseas tourists) visit the Voortrekker Monument annually. Apart from Robben Island, the Voortrekker Monument has become a very popular heritage site in the country. Frequent school visits by all population groups occur and the number of tourists from African countries has recently increased. Special tours are planned for tourists and other interested parties. A library and research centre is housed on the premises and visitors can also be entertained by ox-wagon and/or horse rides.

The monument took 12 years to complete. The architect was Gerard Moerdijk (1890-1958), the South African son of a Dutch immigrant. Moerdijk’s ideal was to set up a memorial that would stand for a thousand years and longer to explain to descendants the history and meaning of the Great Trek. Moerdijk’s design for the Voortrekker Monument is combined with E.C. Pienaar and A.C. Bouman’s designs of a Voortrekker laager. It has been said that Moerdijk learned much from African designers, for example the ruins of Zimbabwe. He has always admired the techniques of these builders and later applied them in his most known buildings such as the Voortrekker Monument.

What are the features of the Voortrekker Monument?

- On the inside is a domed Hall of Heroes, with four huge arched windows (made from yellow Belgian glass) on the sides.

- The Hall of Heroes contains the unique marble Historical Frieze, comprising of 27 bas-relief panels on which the history of the Great Trek and the everyday life style of the Voortrekkers are depicted.

- In the centre of the Hall of Heroes the Cenotaph Hall can be viewed through a large rounded opening.

- The Cenotaph forms the focus point of the monument. It is found in the centre of the Cenotaph Hall. The Cenotaph can be viewed from the Hall of Heroes as well as from the top of the building. The whole interior of the monument can in fact be viewed from the top of the building.

- Each year, on 16 December, a twelve o'clock, the sun shines through an opening in the dome onto the middle of the Cenotaph. On this day and at this time one is able to read the words 'Ons vir Jou, Suid-Afrika' (‘We for thee, South Africa'). The ray of sunshine is said to denote the blessing of God on the Voortrekkers and their accomplishments. December 16, 1838 was the date of the Battle of Blood River. (This day was observed as the Day of the Vow in Apartheid-era South Africa).

- Flags of the different Voortrekker Republics, wall tapestries and artifacts from the Great Trek decorate the Cenotaph Hall.

- The northern wall of the hall hosts a lantern in which a flame has been burning ever since 1938. The Symbolic Ox-wagon Trek occurred in that year. This Trek started in Cape Town and ended at Monument Hill where the Monument's foundation stone was laid.

- Currently, the monument development also includes an indigenous garden that encloses the monument, the nearby Fort Schanskop, an open-air amphitheatre with 357 seats, and a garden of remembrance. An area of 3.41 km² around the Monument has been declared a nature reserve as game is found on the reserve.

- Other features include a bronze sculpture of a Voortrekker woman and her two children made by the sculptor Anton van Wouw, statues (of Piet Retief, Andries Pretorius, Hendrik Potgieter and an unknown leader) and the foundation stone.

- On the inside, there are 169 stairs from the domed Hall of Heroes to the top.

- The Voortrekker Monument’s floor plan is 40.5m by 40.5m.

- The Voortrekker Monument stands 62 m high.

The Voortrekker Monument is one of the most visited heritage site in Gauteng and should be on your list of things to do while staying in Pretoria.