Imagine a hilltop. A massive granite structure stands proudly against the South African sky. This is the Voortrekkermonument. It commemorates the Voortrekkers who left the Cape Colony between 1835 and 1854.
The idea for a monument honoring God arose in 1888. President Paul Kruger attended the Day of the Covenant Celebrations at Blood River. But the movement to build it only started in 1931. The Sentrale Volks Monument Komitee was formed. They aimed to bring the monument to life.
Construction began on July 13, 1937. Advocate Ernest George Jansen performed the sod-turning ceremony. This took place on what became Monument Hill. On December 16, 1938, descendants of Voortrekker leaders laid the cornerstone. These included Mrs. J.C. Muller, Mrs. K.F. Ackerman, and Mrs. J.C. Preller.
The Voortrekkermonument was inaugurated on December 16, 1949. The then-prime minister D.F. Malan officiated. The total cost was about 360000 pounds. The South African Government contributed most of it.
A large amphitheater was built to the northeast of the Voortrekkermonument in 1949. It seats approximately 20000 people.
The Cenotaph is the central focus. It sits in the center of the Cenotaph Hall. You can view it from the Hall of Heroes. It is also visible from the Dome at the top. A ray of sunlight shines through an opening in the Dome. This happens at twelve o’clock on December 16 annually. The light falls onto the center of the Cenotaph. It strikes the words “Ons vir Jou, Suid-Afrika”. This Afrikaans phrase means “Us for you, South Africa”. The ray of light symbolizes God’s blessing. It honors the lives of the Voortrekkers. December 16 marks the Battle of Blood River.
The Cenotaph Hall displays flags of Voortrekker Republics. Wall tapestries depict the Voortrekkers. Display cases hold artifacts from the Great Trek. A niche against the Northern Wall holds a lantern. A flame has burned there since 1938. That year a symbolic Ox Wagon Trek took place. It started in Cape Town. It ended at Monument Hill. Here, they laid the monument’s foundation stone.
At the foot of the Voortrekkermonument stands Anton van Wouw’s bronze sculpture. It shows a Voortrekker woman and her two children. It pays homage to the strength of Voortrekker women. Black Wildebeest are chiselled into the monument walls. They symbolize the dangers of Africa. Their symbolic flight implies triumph. The woman is the carrier of Western Civilization.
Each outside corner of the Voortrekkermonument features a statue. They represent Piet Retief, Andries Pretorius, Hendrik Potgieter, and an “unknown” leader. Each statue weighs about 6 tons.
At the eastern corner is the Foundation Stone. It rests on the same level as the entrance. Under the Foundation Stone lies a copy of the Trekker Vow. There is also a copy of the anthem “Die Stem”. A copy of the land deal between Piet Retief and King Dingane is there too.
In later years, the complex expanded. It now includes an indigenous garden. There is also the Wall of Remembrance. It is dedicated to those who died serving in the South African Defence Force. Fort Schanskop is nearby. It was built in 1897. It now serves as a museum. The Schanskop Open-Air Amphitheatre seats 357 people. A Garden of Remembrance also exists. A nature Reserve was declared in 1992. Game includes Zebras, Blesbok, and Springbok. An Afrikaner Heritage Centre preserves the heritage of Afrikaans-speaking South Africans.
The Voortrekkermonument stands as a reminder of the past. It symbolizes Afrikaner Nationalism. It is essential to South Africa’s political history. The monument is an iconic granite structure. Its Art Deco design commemorates the Voortrekkers. Every aspect symbolizes the Voortrekkers’ treacherous journey.