Pretoria's Union Buildings stand on Meintjieskop, a low ridge looking over the city, and from the terraced gardens you can see the whole sweep of the South African capital spread out below. The sandstone buildings, with two wings joined by a curved colonnade, were designed by the English architect Herbert Baker and finished in 1913, to house the government of the newly formed Union of South Africa. For decades they were the seat of white minority rule. On 10 May 1994 they became the setting for the inauguration of Nelson Mandela as the first democratically elected president, and with that the meaning of the place changed.
That is why the point carries the label Human Rights. The Union Buildings are part of a UNESCO listing from 2024 on the legacy of Nelson Mandela and the liberation struggle, which links places in South Africa associated with the fight against apartheid and the building of a new constitutional order. A large bronze statue of Mandela, with open arms, stands in the gardens, and the view across the city from the terraces is a popular place for photographs, and for ceremonies.
Pretoria is also known as the Jacaranda City. In October and November the streets are covered in the purple blossom of thousands of trees, planted over a century ago, and the petals carpet the roads and parked cars. In the afternoon, summer thunderstorms often roll in with heavy rain and hail, so it pays to start early. Winters are dry and sunny, with chilly mornings, and the best weather for a long ride is from April to September.
The city is a good base. The N1 and N4 highways make for fast progress, and the surrounding countryside has rewarding rides: the Magaliesberg range to the west, the quiet back roads of the Cradle of Humankind toward Sterkfontein, where fossils of early human ancestors have been found, including the famous skull known as Mrs Ples, found in 1947. Constitution Hill, in Johannesburg, the old prison and now home of the Constitutional Court, is the other stop.
Fuel is easy in a city of this size, with stations on every main road. Like any large South African city, it asks for sensible habits: park in guarded places, keep valuables out of sight, and ask local riders about the areas to avoid. Then enjoy the slower side of Pretoria, with its cafes, its Dutch-Cape architecture and its very good steaks.