● The Old Railway Station Museum (1875)
Positioned in Market Street and built in the year of the opening of the railway from Port Elizabeth, this is reputed to be one of the oldest railway stations in the country. Contact (041) 922-8210. Entrance fee charged.
● Old Uitenhage Town Hall
Since the 1820s, residents lobbied to have the capital of the colony relocated to Uitenhage.
When the Town Hall was built in 1882 and the Public Building (Victoria Tower) between 1896 and ‘98, they were such imposing buildings that expectations rose again.
● Anglo-Boer War Memorial
In front of the Town Hall, this memorial was unveiled in 1904.
The names of citizens from Uitenhage and the surrounding district who died in the AngloBoer War are inscribed on the memorial.
● Groendal Wilderness
The Groendal Wilderness area lies at the eastern extremity of the Groot Winterhoek Mountains. It can be accessed via Groendal Road, Kruisrivier Valley, and has range of recreational opportunities, like wilderness hikes and bird watching. For bookings, contact (041) 991-9912/3.
● Nelson Mandela Bay Science and Technology Centre
Housed in the beautifully restored old railway workshops along Drostdy Street, this 4,000m² facility incorporates nearly 100 interactive exhibits which allow children and adults of all ages to experience science, mathematics and technology in a fun and stimulating way. Contact (041) 991-5000. Entrance fee charged.
The centre is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 4pm and on Saturday on request. It is closed on public holidays.
Group bookings are essential, but casual visitors are welcome without booking.
NMBT’s Uitenhage visitor information centre is located inside the centre. Contact 087353-1734.
● Grave of Joseph Crowe VC
The first SA-born recipient of the Victoria Cross, Joseph Petrus Hendrick Crowe, was born in Uitenhage on January 12 1826.
In 1857, he served with the 78th Highlanders under MajorGeneral Henry Havelock during his historic march on Cawnpore.
For his bravery in the storming and relief of Cawnpore, then Lieutenant Crowe was awarded the Victoria Cross and promoted to captain.
He died in England in 1876 but his remains were exhumed and returned in 1975. He rests in the MOTH Garden of Remembrance in Rich Street.
● VW AutoPavilion – Place of Cars and Legends
The AutoPavilion, located at 103 Algoa Road, Uitenhage, proudly showcases the evolution of the VW Group SA.
The displays capture Volkswagen’s legacy with state-of-the-art technology.
From cars that chronicle the past to an exciting look at the future, enjoy an epic expedition through the place of cars and legends. Entrance fee charged.
VW factory tours are for free from Monday to Thursday.
Contact (041) 929-5941/3 or go to www.autopavilion.co.za
A fun fact not a lot of people might know about Uitenhage is that Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika composer Enoch Sontonga was born in the town in 1872.
Sontonga wrote the first verse and chorus of the national anthem and composed the music in 1897.
Plenty to see in Garden Town
Uitenhage boasts rich history with several museums and memorials
Uitenhage, known to many as the Garden Town, is home to a number of museums rich in the town’s history and is also known for its annual street carnival.
The industrial town is also home to futuristic technology and the biggest car factory on the African continent.
The sleepy town has comically coined the phrase “nothing happens in Uitenhage”, but with the tourism sector on the rise, the town’s attractions have come to the fore and are open for business and residents to enjoy.
Economic development executive director Anele Qaba said the town, founded in 1804 by General Jacob Glen Cuyler, boasts a number of museums that play a pivotal role in SA’s history, a few heritage buildings, multiple outdoor activities such as hiking trails and paintball fields, and also educational centres displaying futuristic technology, which creates a fun learning environment for young and old.
The town has seen a number of restaurants pop up in recent years and now even boasts a casino.
From hiking trails to taking a dip at the Springs Resort to viewing some old coal trains at the Old Railway Station Museum, there is plenty to do, provided you know where to go.
Places to go:
● Langa Memorial
Located along Maduna Road, the memorial marks the spot, just outside Langa Township, where police opened fire on a crowd of mourners, killing more than 20 people who were on their way to a banned funeral on March 21 1985 (the 25th anniversary of the Sharpeville massacre of 1960) in KwaNobuhle.
● Basuto War Memorial
This memorial commemorates those who died in the Basuto Campaign from 18801882 on Morosi Mountain in 1879, and is located in Magennis Park, Uitenhage.
● Cannon Hill Memorial
A monument, which is located on Cannon Hill, commemorating the coronation of King George V, is an excellent
vantage point from which to view the town and surrounding area.
● Drostdy Museum (1809)
The Drostdy is situated at 50 Caledon Street and was erected during General Cuyler’s tenure of office as a landdrost of Uitenhage in 1809.
The Uitenhage Africana Museum is housed here. Contact (041) 992-2063.
● Cuyler Manor Museum
Built as a homestead for General Cuyler, landdrost of Uitenhage from 1806 to 1827, this Cape Dutch style house, positioned along the Old Uitenhage/Port Elizabeth Road, has been restored and modernised. Contact (041) 9220372. Entrance fee charged.
● The Old Railway Station Museum (1875)
Positioned in Market Street and built in the year of the opening of the railway from Port Elizabeth, this is reputed to be one of the oldest railway stations in the country. Contact (041) 922-8210. Entrance fee charged.
● Old Uitenhage Town Hall
Since the 1820s, residents lobbied to have the capital of the colony relocated to Uitenhage.
When the Town Hall was built in 1882 and the Public Building (Victoria Tower) between 1896 and ‘98, they were such imposing buildings that expectations rose again.
● Anglo-Boer War Memorial
In front of the Town Hall, this memorial was unveiled in 1904.
The names of citizens from Uitenhage and the surrounding district who died in the AngloBoer War are inscribed on the memorial.
● Groendal Wilderness
The Groendal Wilderness area lies at the eastern extremity of the Groot Winterhoek Mountains. It can be accessed via Groendal Road, Kruisrivier Valley, and has range of recreational opportunities, like wilderness hikes and bird watching. For bookings, contact (041) 991-9912/3.
● Nelson Mandela Bay Science and Technology Centre
Housed in the beautifully restored old railway workshops along Drostdy Street, this 4,000m² facility incorporates nearly 100 interactive exhibits which allow children and adults of all ages to experience science, mathematics and technology in a fun and stimulating way. Contact (041) 991-5000. Entrance fee charged.
The centre is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 4pm and on Saturday on request. It is closed on public holidays.
Group bookings are essential, but casual visitors are welcome without booking.
NMBT’s Uitenhage visitor information centre is located inside the centre. Contact 087353-1734.
● Grave of Joseph Crowe VC
The first SA-born recipient of the Victoria Cross, Joseph Petrus Hendrick Crowe, was born in Uitenhage on January 12 1826.
In 1857, he served with the 78th Highlanders under MajorGeneral Henry Havelock during his historic march on Cawnpore.
For his bravery in the storming and relief of Cawnpore, then Lieutenant Crowe was awarded the Victoria Cross and promoted to captain.
He died in England in 1876 but his remains were exhumed and returned in 1975. He rests in the MOTH Garden of Remembrance in Rich Street.
● VW AutoPavilion – Place of Cars and Legends
The AutoPavilion, located at 103 Algoa Road, Uitenhage, proudly showcases the evolution of the VW Group SA.
The displays capture Volkswagen’s legacy with state-of-the-art technology.
From cars that chronicle the past to an exciting look at the future, enjoy an epic expedition through the place of cars and legends. Entrance fee charged.
VW factory tours are for free from Monday to Thursday.
Contact (041) 929-5941/3 or go to www.autopavilion.co.za
A fun fact not a lot of people might know about Uitenhage is that Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika composer Enoch Sontonga was born in the town in 1872.
Sontonga wrote the first verse and chorus of the national anthem and composed the music in 1897.
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