Activities to do in Graaff-Reinet
Nestled in the heart of the Eastern Cape’s arid landscapes, Obesa Wholesale Nursery beckons you to embark on a mesmerizing journey into the enchanting world of cacti and succulents.
Located in Church Street, Graaff-Reinet, is housed in the fifth oldest church building in South Africa. It was built and consecrated as a Dutch Reformed Mission Church in 1821, 35 years after the founding of the village of Graaff-Reinet in 1786.
The Graaff-Reinet Museum or “Reinet House”, formerly a Dutch Reformed Church parsonage, was built at the expense of the Government in 1812 during the ministry of the Rev. Kicherer.
The former Residency, situated diagonally opposite Reinet House at the end of Parsonage Street, and forming a unique architectural complex with it, is a well-preserved example of the early 19th Century Cape Dutch H-shaped house.
The large erf at the southern extremity of Market Square, on which Urquhart House stands today, was granted in freehold to Johan Hendrik Greyling on 1 January 1806, which places it amongst the earliest plots transferred into private ownership in Graaff-Reinet.
After an introductory talk on Magazine Hill overlooking the town, take a guided walk through the architectural “Gem of the Karoo”, the 4th oldest town in South Africa, with Cape Dutch, Victorian & quaint Karoo style homes.
While limited privately sponsored library facilities were available in Graaff-Reinet from about 1818, it was not until 1847 that the citizens of the town established a public library, subscribing funds to build the central portion of the present building in Church Street.
The Military History Museum is the most recent addition to the Graaff-Reinet Museum Complex and was established in 2005. The building was built along the lines of a stable situated on the same premises, to ensure that it is in keeping with the architectural style of the rest of the buildings of the museum complex.
The Dutch Reformed Church in Graaff-Reinet, often referred to as the Groot Kerk (Great Church), is a prominent landmark and a masterpiece of 19th-century architecture in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.
Established in 1850, St James the Great Anglican Church is a prominent Provincial Heritage Site and the oldest original church building still in active use in Graaff-Reinet.
The building was declared a National Monument in 1975, although not a municipal museum as the Hester Rupert Art Gallery which houses a permanent display; the Jan Rupert Art Centre showcases temporary art exhibitions through the Rupert Art Foundation.