OUDTSHOORN NEWS - Once you have seen enough of Oudtshoorn’s famous caves, ostriches and wildlife, don comfortable shoes, take a camera and water bottle, and visit the historical gems of the town.
Make your first stop the CP Nel Museum on the corner of Baron van Reede Street and Voortrekker Road and arm yourself with the pamphlet, Oudtshoorn Historical Walk.
It contains a list of 27 historical landmarks in town as well as a map of the town showing each building. Then set off on your journey. Make sure to visit the two other museums in town which are also on the list; the Le Roux Dorpshuis in High Street and Arbeidsgenot in Jan Van Riebeeck Street where CJ Langenhoven lived.
Apart from Arbeidsgenot, all the other buildings are in and around the CBD. When walking to Arbeidsgenot, use the long suspension bridge in Church Street which was recently restored after it was vandalised. Oudtshoorn is propvol glorieryke sandsteen fasades, golwende gewels en fyn Victoriaanse afwerkings gedompel in diep geskiedenis.
Bouwerk is in 1863 gestaak toe daar gevind is daar skort meer as ‘n meter tussen die mure en dak van die konstruksie. Baas-argitek Carl Otto Hager is in 1867 inderhaas eers per skip uit die Kaap en daarna met ‘n vierperd-kar vanaf Mosselbaai ingebring.
Om te sê hy was ‘n perfeksionis is soos om te sê Boris Johnson haat haarkappers. Daar moes van byna elke steen ‘n afsonderlike skets gemaak word (die ganse kerk en ornamentwerk is uit klip gekap). M
oontlik later net uit gewoonte (asook blykbaar oor die goeie gehalte van Oudtshoorn se klip), is daar besluit om sommer die preekstoel en omliggende beeldhouwerk ook uit klip te beitel. Vir drie van die vyf engele om die beplande preekstoel het Hager "een van de jonge schoone dames van Oudtshoorn” as model gewerf.
Die hoeksteen is al in 1861 gelê, maar die kerk is eers in Junie 1880 ingewy. Totale koste was £22 425.
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