The city centre has Pietermaritzburg’s most imposing Victorian buildings, civic gardens and war memorials. The old buildings are not all open to the public but it is possible to walk around most of the sites in a morning. Dominating the centre is the grand City Hall, which looms on the corner of Chief Albert Luthuli (Commercial) Road and Church Street. Built on the site of the Volksraadsaal (people’s council) in 1900, it is supposedly the largest all-brick building in the southern hemisphere and is decorated with stained-glass windows.
Pietermaritzburg travel guide last edited by Footprint
Alexandra Park lies to the south of the city centre and can be reached by following Chief Albert Luthuli (Commercial) Road past the Voortrekker Cemetery. The park was founded in 1863 and has large public gardens with a beautiful old cricket pavilion built in 1898. Two other interesting features here are the Victorian bandstand and a cast-iron water trough for horses. An open-air art show is held here every May.
World’s View lies to the west of town and you can get to it by following the Old Howick Road (R103), past the Country Club golf course and into World’s View Road. A plaque at World’s View, next to the Voortrekker Road, marks the route taken by the early Voortrekkers. The short trails follow the path of an old railway line and pass through pine and wattle plantations where it is possible to see interesting birdlife and some small buck. There are magnificent views of Pietermaritzburg from the top of the hill.
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