Union Buildings

History Circa 1925 The Boer Republics of the ZAR and the Orange Free State were united with the Cape Colony and Natal Colony in 1910 to become the Union of South Africa. Pretoria then became the administrative capital of the whole of South Africa, with Cape Town the legislative capital. Between 1860 and 1994, the city was also the capital of the province of Transvaal, superseding Potchefstroom in that role. The new Union required a governmental building which could signify unity and host the new government.
Marthinus Wessel Pretorius, later to become first president of the Transvaal Republic, was the original owner of the farm 'Elandsfontein'. link👇

Gardens and grounds The terraced gardens The building is surrounded by beautifully terraced gardens of indigenous plants. Various monuments adorn the expansive lawns, including the Delville Wood War Memorial and a statue of the country's first Prime Minister, General The Rt Hon. Louis Botha. The lawn in front of the Union Buildings are often the location for public gatherings, whether they be protest or celebration, such as the presidential inauguration.[19] Notable are the terraced gardens, planted exclusively with indigenous plants, surrounding the buildings as well as the 9,000 seat Nelson Mandela amphitheatre. link👇

Powers and duties The Union Buildings share duties with Cape Town as the seat of the South African Government. Pretoria shares duties with Cape Town and Bloemfontein as the capital cities of South Africa. The official seats of the President are the Union Buildings in Pretoria and the Tuynhuys in Cape Town.
Governing the buildings Because of the significance of the Voortrekker Monument and the Union Buildings in the national consciousness, a law in Pretoria limits the height of any building between the Voortrekker Monument and the Union Buildings such that the view between them remains unobstructed. link👇