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The Palace of Justice forms part of the northern façade of Church Square in
The Palace of Justice was built by the Departement van Publieke Werken (DPW) under the guidance of design architect
Pretoria
Pretoria () is South Africa's administrative capital, serving as the seat of the executive branch of government, and as the host to all foreign embassies to South Africa.
Pretoria straddles the Apies River and extends eastward into the foothi ...
. The building dates to the nineteenth century and was designed by the Dutch
Dutch commonly refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands
* Dutch people ()
* Dutch language ()
Dutch may also refer to:
Places
* Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States
* Pennsylvania Dutch Country
People E ...
architect Sytze Wierda
Sytze Wopkes Wierda (28 February 1839 in Hemrik, the Netherlands – 10 December 1911 in Sea Point, South Africa) was a Dutch architect and engineer who played an important role in the architecture of the South African Republic in the late ...
. It is currently the headquarters of the Gauteng Division of the High Court of South Africa
The High Court of South Africa is a superior court of law in South Africa. It is divided into nine provincial divisions, some of which sit in more than one location. Each High Court division has general jurisdiction over a defined geographica ...
.
The foundation stone was laid on June 8, 1897 by South African Republic (ZAR) President Paul Kruger
Stephanus Johannes Paulus Kruger (; 10 October 1825 – 14 July 1904) was a South African politician. He was one of the dominant political and military figures in 19th-century South Africa, and President of the South African Republic (or ...
.
The most famous political trial in South Africa's history, the Rivonia Trial
The Rivonia Trial took place in South Africa between 9 October 1963 and 12 June 1964, and led to the imprisonment of Nelson Mandela and the others among the accused who were convicted of sabotage and sentenced to life at the Palace of Justic ...
, took place here. During the trial, Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (; ; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African anti-apartheid activist who served as the first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He was the country's first black head of state and the ...
and a number of other prominent African National Congress
The African National Congress (ANC) is a social-democratic political party in South Africa. A liberation movement known for its opposition to apartheid, it has governed the country since 1994, when the first post-apartheid election install ...
(ANC) members were charged with treason and subsequently jailed.
Construction
The Palace of Justice was built by the Departement van Publieke Werken (DPW) under the guidance of design architect Sytze Wierda
Sytze Wopkes Wierda (28 February 1839 in Hemrik, the Netherlands – 10 December 1911 in Sea Point, South Africa) was a Dutch architect and engineer who played an important role in the architecture of the South African Republic in the late ...
and builder John Munro. Construction of the building took place during the Second Boer War
The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the So ...
, wherein it temporarily functioned as a hospital for British soldiers. The interior design features an ornate combination of polished wood, brass, stained glass, tiled floors, and several other prestigious fixtures for its era. At the time of completion, construction costs totaled £115 260.
See also
List of Castles and Fortifications in South AfricaReferences