Stellenbosch

Stellenbosch is the oldest city of South Africa after the city mother of Wraps-Town, in the province of the Cape-Westerner

Geography and demography

Located at about fifty kilometers of the Cape, Stellenbosh counts 90.000 inhabitants. It belongs to a municipality of almost 120 thousand inhabitants (57% colored persons, 22% of white, 21% of blacks).

The native tongue of 74% of the inhabitants of the municipality is the Afrikaans.

The climate of the Mediterranean type supported the Viticulture in the area. The city is thus located in the middle of the area of the South-African vineyards and presents an undeniable tourist attraction with its many buildings of the XVIIe-XVIIIe century of style Cape dutch (colonial style of the Dutchmen).

Administration

The town of Stellenbosch belongs to the local Municipalité of Stellenbosch also including/understanding the towns of Franschhoek, Nuweberg and Pniel. It belongs to the old district of Boland, become the district of the vineyards of the Cape (Cape Winelands district).

Since 2006, the Maire is Lauretta Maree (democratic Alliance).

History

Founded in 1679 by the second governor of the Cape, Simon Van der Stel of which it took the name, it is towards the end of the XVIIe century that the huguenot S establish the Viticulture like important industry of the area. Valleys of Stellenbosch, Paarl, and Franschhoek are the Cape Winelands (wine countries of the Cape).

Stellenbosch quickly became one of the cities more afrikaner S of the Cape Province and a great university center afrikaner with the University of Stellenbosch (15000 students).

It competes besides Paarl like arts center of the people of language Afrikaans.

At the XXe century, it was a bastion of the national Parti and the Université Stellenbosch, a hearth of the nationalist theorists like Hendrik Verwoerd. Many politicians afrikaners passed there.

After 1994, the city became a bastion of the opposition parties. In 2000, the municipality is gained by the any news democratic Alliance (DA). However, in 2002, the municipal majority rocked on the side of ANC following the rallying with the latter of the elected officials of the Nouveau national Party in rupture with the DA.

At the time of the municipal elections of March 1st 2006, the ANC precedes of only one seat the DA with 16 elected officials against 15. Five other seats being distributed between small parts. But at the time of the election of the municipal executive, the DA rejoins with it the majority of the small parts propelling Lauretta Maree (DA) with the town hall.

Tourism

Stellenbosch is regarded as one of the tourist jewels of the province of the Cape-Westerner. The city is very famous for its buildings of style Wraps-Dutch (colonial architecture of the Cape), its streets bordered of Chêne S centenaries, for its university campus and the Vignoble S of the area.

Dorp Street is the old main roads which led to the Cape. She is regarded as the oldest street and best preserved country. She is bordered of colonial buildings of Dutch styles or victorien like " Old Reading Room" , the old church Lutheran (1851), " Kolonieshuis" , " Voorgelegen" , the house of Gratitute (1798), Libertas-Parva (1783) with its gallery and Oude Meester-Wine-Museum.

The " Braak" is a green esplanade in the center of Stellenbosch, formerly used like field for the military parades. It is bordered by the church Moederkerk, of neo-gothic architecture and historical emblem of the city, by a large middle-class house of 1797 transformed into museum, by the arsenal, the church Anglican co. Mary (1852), by the church of the missionaries of the Rhine (1823) and by the old house of the stage coach (1790).

The house Grosvenor (1786) shelters part of the " Stellenbosch Museum" Village; which gathers a whole of house of Dutch style of 17th at the 19th century, restored in their country of origin.

The wine trail of Stellenbosch supplements since 1971 the tourist assets of the city.

The capital of Springboks

Since 1902, the national team of Rugby to XV, the Springboks, have their general headquarter with the Université of Stellenbosch where their stage of drive is.

Internal bonds

External bonds

various information on Stellenbosch
Official site of Stellenbosch
Valley of the wines of Stellenbosch and tourist guide of information
article of Wikitravel

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