Heidelberg Town Hall honoured with blue plaque for Heritage
The Heidelberg Heritage Association has unveiled Blue Plaque No. 86 at the historic Heidelberg Town Hall, a landmark designed by Voortrekker Monument architect Gerard Moerdijk.
The Heidelberg Heritage Association unveiled its latest blue plaque on September 19, marking an important addition to the town’s heritage trail.
Tony Burisch, representing the association, officiated the unveiling of plaque number 86, which was awarded to the historic Heidelberg Town Hall.
The sponsor of this latest blue plaque was Brian Gerber.
Gerard Moerdijk designed the Heidelberg Town Hall. He also designed the Voortrekker Monument.
The Heidelberg mayor, JDM Jordaan, and Transvaal administrator, JJ Pienaar, laid the foundation stone of the town hall on June 2, 1939.
In the front courtyard stands a concrete earth globe, a gift from Italian prisoners of war who worked on local farms during World War II.
The monument of the triumvirate of Paul Kruger, Marthinus Pretorius, and Piet Joubert, who governed here from 1880 to 1883, is in front of the town hall. During that period, Heidelberg was the capital of the country.
The monument was unveiled in 1954. Initially, busts of the three leaders were affixed to it, but these are no longer there.
The place where the town hall now stands was the market square from the late 1800s.
It was a bustling venue where farmers gathered, exchanged goods, and interacted with others they rarely saw during months on the farm.
That was also where farmers would camp when they came to attend church and Holy Communion.
