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Historic Bloemfontein, (also known as Mangaung), the
stately judicial capital of South Africa, is the sixth
largest and most centrally-located city in South Africa.
Situated 1395 metres above sea level, it lies at the
heart of a huge and prosperous farming region and is
an important educational centre. The city has a highveld
climate with a summer rainfall of 600 mm per annum.
It is noted for its trees, roses and fine old sandstone
buildings dating from the late 19th century when Bloemfontein
was the capital of the independent republic of the Orange
Free State.
- The historic buildings in President Brand Street,
including the Court of Appeal, old Raadsaal, City
Hall and Supreme Court
- Naval Hill and its Franklin Game Reserve, offering
a variety of antelope and fine views over the city
centre
- The National Museum, containing a comprehensive
collection of fossils, the Florisbad prehistoric skull,
a herbarium and a recreated street scene from 1900.
- State President Swart Park, Kings Park and Zoo,
with more than 4000 rose bushes and a blaze of colour
for most of the year.
- The National Women's Memorial and adjacent War
Museum, commemorating the Boer women and children
who died in the concentration camps.
- The Sand du Plessis Theatre, one of the most modern
and technologically advanced in the country.
Bloemfontein has daily flights to Johannesburg, Cape
Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth and East London (Information
Tel 051 433 2901). There is no airport shuttle, so
take a taxicab.
The
railway station is on the corner of Maitland and Harvey
streets. There are daily trains to Cape Town (20 hrs),
Johannesburg/Pretoria (6.5 hrs) and East London (12.5
hrs) and a weekly train to Durban (16 hrs). (Central
Reservations Tel 086 000 8888)
Buses arrive and depart from the Transit Centre at
the Bloemfontein Tourist Information Centre. Translux
(051 408 4888), Greyhound
(051 447 1558) and Intercape (0861 287 287) buses
run daily to Cape Town (12 hrs), Johannesburg and
Pretoria (6.5 hrs), Durban (8 hrs), East London (7
hrs) and Port Elizabeth (9hrs).
Bloemfontein is approx 430 kms from Johannesburg and
1024 kms from Cape Town and may be reached via the
N1, the national highway
linking Johannesburg and Cape Town, or the R64 from
Kimberley. The N3 from Gauteng to Durban and the N6
to East London cut through the Free State as does
the N5 linking the province to KZN.
| Free State Tourism Marketing Board |
051 430 7769 |
| Bloemfontein Tourist Information |
051 405 8489/90 |
| Bloemfontein Publicity Association |
051 405 8111 |
| Airport (Bloemfontein) |
051 433 2901 |
| Police |
051 448 1701 |
| Hospital (Bloemfontein) |
051 405 3483 |
| National Alamo Car Rental |
051 433 3577 |
Links to Useful
Sites
www.bloemfontein.co.za
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