The
Union Building of South Africa
is the most beautiful government residence
in the world. Sir Herbert Baker was the architect
of this 275 m long building and had it built
in the English monumental style from light
sandstone for many South Africans. It does
indeed look majestic and lends a solemn environment
to the official acts of the respective President.
The Union Building has a half-round shape.
The two wings at the sides represent the Boerish
and the English part of the population.
As
the first free and common elections in South Africa
in 1994 the Union Building has been the residence
of the presidency - today Thabo Mbeki - and his
government. The Parliament
spends the winter months in Pretoria, during the
summer months it changes to Cape Town.
The Union Buildings are located on Meintjies Kop,
Pretoria, and form the official seat of the South
African government. They contain the offices of the
President of South Africa. They are almost certainly
best remembered as the place where South Africa's
first democratically-elected president, Nelson Mandela,
was inaugurated in May 1994.
The Union Buildings, were built from light sandstone,
were designed by the architect Sir Herbert Baker in
the English monumental style and are 275 m long. They
have a half-round shape, with the two wings at the
sides, this can serve to represent the union of formerly
divided people.
The cornerstone was
laid in November 1910, shortly after the Union of
South Africa - for which the buildings are named
- was formed. Taking 1,265 workers over three years
to build, the structure
was completed in 1913 at a total cost of £1,310,640
for the building and £350,000 for the site.
The noteworthy are the gardens, which are planted
exclusively with indigenous plants, surrounding the
buildings as well as the 9,000 seat amphitheatre.
