Vryheid
| Vryheid | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| Coordinates | 27 ° 46 ′ S , 30 ° 48 ′ E | ||
| Basic data | |||
| Country | South Africa | ||
| KwaZulu-Natal | |||
| District | Zululand | ||
| ISO 3166-2 | ZA-KZN | ||
| local community | AbaQulusi | ||
| height | 1112 m | ||
| Residents | 47,365 (2011) | ||
| founding | 1884 | ||
 Street in Vryheid
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Vryheid [ frɛĭhɛĭd ] ( Afrikaans ; German: 'freedom') is a city in the municipality of AbaQulusi , Zululand district , KwaZulu-Natal province in South Africa . It is located 70 kilometers from Utrecht at 1112 meters above sea level on the R34 road . In 2011 it had 47,365 inhabitants. The city is located on the White Umfolozi River , which also has its source in its vicinity.
history
Vryheid is located on the eastern edge of the so-called "Battlefields". This region in the northwest of the province of KwaZulu-Natal was the scene of numerous historical battles between Voortrekkern and Zulu , between the British and the Zulu, and most recently between the Boers and the British. After the end of the Zulu War , a group of Voortrekkers offered military protection to the Zulu king Dinizulu . In return, they received large estates, so that a little later they proclaimed their Nieuwe Republiek with Lucas Meyer as president, and in 1884 founded Vryheid as the capital . The short-lived republic existed until 1888 when it became part of the South African Republic .
The " Sacred Heart Abbey Inkamana ," an August 3, 1922 as a mission station by Bishop Thomas Spreiter founded OSB Mission Benedictine abbey in Vryheid, belongs to ottilien congregation .
In 1955, at the request of the Roman Catholic Bishop von Eshowe, four Mallersdorfer sisters from the Order of the Poor Franciscan Sisters of the Holy Family founded the Nardini Convent in Vryheid as the first Mallersdorf branch in South Africa. In 1956 a kindergarten was opened, in 1957 an elementary school. In 1976, 240 children attended the Nardini Convent School and 100 children attended the kindergarten. In 1978, in cooperation with the Catholic bishops of the country and contrary to the current racial laws, the religious order decided to open its school to students of all skin colors. Today around 500 pupils attend kindergarten and school.
Residents
In the 2011 census, 84.5% described themselves as black , 12.1% as white, 1.7% as colored , 1.3% as “Indians or Asians” and 0.3% as “other”.
economy
Coal mining and cattle breeding are economically significant .
Attractions
- House of Lucas Meyer , museum of cultural history, President Lucas Meyer acquired the building in 1885
- Old Raadsaal , was the council chamber and the prison in the Nieuwe Republiek
- Klipfontein Bird Sanctuary , a bird sanctuary southwest of town; more than 160 species of birds have been recorded in this wetland
- Nieuwe Republiek Museum , documents the history of the city and the “Nieuwe Republiek” from 1884 to 1888.
- Vryheid Nature Reserve , the city's natural park; there are various hiking trails, zebras , impalas , elands and other antelope species live in the park . Numerous wildflowers bloom in the reserve in spring.
- Hlobane Battlefield , historic battlefield 20 kilometers northeast of the city. During the Zulu War, the British suffered a defeat here on March 28, 1879, 92 British people died.
- Khambula Battlefield , here 2000 British stood in a well-fortified and cannon-armed position against 18,000 Zulu. The battle lasted only four hours; around 3000 Zulu and 83 British people were killed.
- Itala Game Reserve
Personalities
- Christian du Plessis (* 1944), opera singer, born in Vryheid
Web links
- Tourism Website of Vryheid (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b 2011 census , accessed on May 7, 2020
- ^ "Inkamana Abbey" ( Memento from February 2, 2011 in the Internet Archive )