Paarl history and Travel information

Paarl History

Paarl is the third oldest European Settlement in South Africa. Today it is home to a very culturally diverse community, the product of its unique history.

The people of Paarl are descendants of the Khoisan, African-, and Eastern slaves, Dutch, French Huguenots, Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe, Italian Prisoners of War, and Xhosa migrant labourers.

Khoisan
The Khoikhoi and San were the first people to utilize this area. San rock art can still be seen at nearby Wemmershoek and Bainskloof.

What is today known as Paarl Mountain, used to be called Tortoise Mountain by the Khoikhoi.

The Berg River Valley formed the traditional border between the Peninsular Khoikhoi (the Gorachoqua and the Goringhaiqua) and the Cochoqua. The latter group moved their cattle around the various grazing areas of the Berg River- and Drakenstein Valleys.

The Cochoqua was one of the richest and strongest of the Khoi tribes and had between 16 000 and 18 000 members. The Cochoqua were defeated during the second war between the colonists and Khoikhoi and most of their livestock were looted.

After the deaths of their leaders, the rest of the tribe dispersed. Some trekked towards the Orange River and others started working for the colonists.

European settlers
The Dutch:
The original purpose of the Dutch settlement in the vicinity of latter day Cape Town was to provide fresh food and water to the ships of the Dutch East India Company, on their way to the East. Jan van Riebeeck built up fresh meat stock by bartering livestock from the local Khoikhoi.

In 1657, Abraham Gabbema led an expedition, to find more Khoi groups to barter from and to search for the legendary treasures of Monomotapa. On the day that they arrived in the Berg River Valley, the granite boulders, towards the west side of our town, glistened in the sun after some showers. This inspired Gabbema to promptly name this mountain the Diamond and Pearl Mountain from which the name Paarl was later derived.

In October 1687, 30 years after the Gabbema expedition, Governor Simon van der Stel granted the first farms to free burghers. Twenty-one of these farms were in Drakenstein (Paarl), and five of them were at the foot of Paarl Mountain.

The French
In 1688, the French Huguenots arrived in the Cape and some of them were given property in the Drakenstein area.

One of their most important influences was of course their knowledge of the wine industry. Today the headquarters of the South African wine industry, the KWV, is to be found in Paarl. It is situated on one of the earliest farms (La Concorde, as it is known today) to be granted by Governor Simon van der Stel.

Conflict
The European idea of private land ownership clashed with the traditional communal land use of the Khoikhoi. The farms that were granted to the free burghers and Huguenots, used to be grazing for the livestock of the Khoi.

Access to water also became limited and the wild animals that used to be hunted by die Khoisan quickly became scarce.

European diseases, such as small pox, further decimated the indigenous peoples. Many of the Khoisan were forced to move into the interior or became labourers, working for the colonists.

The Slaves
Between 1658 and 1808 63 000 slaves were imported to South Africa from many different parts of the world such as Gambia, Nigeria, Angola, Mozambique, Madagascar, India, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), Indonesia, Batavia (Djakarta) and the Spice Islands.

Slaves had to sow, harvest, and thresh the wheat. On wine farms, they had to harvest and press the grapes. Slaves also had to load wagons, weed their owner's fields, and look after the farmer's livestock.

The women did housework and in some cases acted as wet nurses for their owner's children. In the country female slaves also had to work as farm labourers.

Het Gesticht (a a small unbaked brick church) was built in 1813 to provide slaves with a place of worship. From 1820, onwards it became known as the Zion Church. Het Gesticht is the fourth oldest church building in South Africa amd located in Main street close to the Strooidak Church.

After the slaves were emancipated in 1834, the freed slaves in Paarl received some property in the vicinity of Berg and the later School Streets.

Paarl Annual Events

As befits a town with a long and colourful history, Paarl annually offers a variety of attractions which have already established a local tradition.

With its abundance of sunshine in summer and water in winter, one would rightly expect many of these attractions to centre on sport and argricultural activities. And the large variety of Paarl Accommodation options, make it easy for visitors to stay over and attend.

Paarl indeed has no shortage of sporting facilities and, on behalf of all its inhabitants, provision is made for athletics, cycling, rugby, cricket, tennis, badminton, hockey, netball, swimming, jukskei, judo, karate, bowls, golf, table tennis, squash and archery.

One of the most important events of the South African social calendar is the annual Nederberg Wine Auction. Scheduled for April, the Auction attracts wine merchants, collectors and socialites from all over South Africa, as well from overseas.

The Auction has become much more than a wine auction; it has developed into a highly enjoyable carnival with a fully-fledged fashion parade, interesting food and wine stalls and the opportunity to taste South Africa's top wines.

Every year in July, when the Cape is wet and the river flows strongly, hundreds of canoeists set forth from Paarl on one of the country's greatest and one of the world's most demanding canoe races, the Berg River Canoe Marathon.

The distance of more than 200 kilometers is completed in four successive days.

It is an unforgettable experience to accompany the canoeists on their frequently bitterly cold and wet expedition and either as a helper or spectator, to share in the fun at the overnight stops and the spectacular finale when the race ends at Velddrift of the West Coast.

A number of agriculturally based events and shows yearly offers exhibitors and spectators alike a glimpse of the leading role played in agriculture by the Winelands area - cheese festival, agricultural show, etc.

The annual duel between two of the Western Cape's top rugby schools, "Bois-haai" (Paarl Boys High School) and "Gimmies" (Paarl Gymnasium High School), as they are colloquially known, takes place in the first week of August in a test atmosphere.

Old Boys meet each other in a curtain raiser event, a big brag is held and a champagne breakfast arranged.

The Winelands Classic Golf Tournament is one of the top amateur tournaments in the country and is highly rated by golfers who have played on the Paarl Golf Club's magnificent course on the banks of the Berg River.

Top athletes and cyclists from all parts of the country participate every year in the Boxing Day Sport Event and spectators flock in from the Cape Peninsula and elsewhere to make of the day an unforgettable family outing.

Each year in February/March students of the College go into the streets of Paarl to collect money for local charity organisations.

The carnival parade consist of Drum-majorettes, Brass Marching Bands and students dressed up to the theme of the Carnival.

Paarl Architectural Styles

Paarl is considered a treasure chest of South African architecture.

The development of Paarl from its earliest times to today is reflected in the variety of architectural styles contained in its Main Street.

They range from the earliest Cape Dutch through to the elegant English styles, from the ornamental Victorian, to Art Deco giving the street its unique character.

Some of the most interesting buildings are:

Strooidakkerk (Thatched Roof Church)
In 1687 the first grants were given to German, Dutch and French settlers in the Paarl area but it was only after 1717, when the church was established here, that the town itself started developing rapidly.

Not withstanding its great simplicity, the interior of this church is exceptionally dignified.

The churchyard adjacent to an attractive garden encloses the biggest collection of gabled burial vaults in the Western Cape.

Zeederberg Square
Many artisans and merchants settled in between the farms along the 11 km stretch of Main Road - the longest Main Road in the country.

After 1806 the architecture was influenced by the British style of building which favoured larger windows, double storey buildings and slate roofs. Many Cape Dutch homes were converted to express the new fashion.

The latter half of the 19th century heralded major commercial development in Paarl. At the same time the flamboyant Victorian style became popular.

This is typified by the verandahs with their intricate cast-iron decorations, corrugated iron roofs and plaster mouldings. Once again the facades of many houses were changed.

Press Building
Described as a "Dutch Renaissance Revival" building and built in 1897, it has the intricate detail of an important Victorian building - decorative gables, Welsh slate roof, turrets and balcony.

Another feature is the white painted outlines of the bricks on a red background.

Zion Church
Zion Church was completed in 1842 after lengthy money-collecting schemes which even included collecting in England. It was restored in 1983 and is once again being used as a church.

191 Main Street
This gabled house dates back to 1790 and has typical yelow-wood ceiling and doors, thatched roof, casement windows and green shutters.

Town Hall
This imposing building was completed in 1928. The clean lines are accentuated by the pediment and bell-tower. The pillars are made of local granite and the whole building is painted white in contrast to the darker background of Paarl mountain.

The Oldest Building
As far as is presently known, Bethel in Mill St is the oldest surviving building in Paarl.

Reference to the house dates back to 1710 and the floor plan has not been altered since 1756, although the facade was later altered to attain a Victorian look.

Church Buildings
Among the other attractive church buildings in Paarl are the historic Holy Trinity (Anglican) Church in Main Street, the St Petri Lutheran Church in Mill St, the old Zion Church in Zion St, the Jewish Synagogue in Synagogue St, the Muslim Chapel in Breda St and the Toringkerk in Main St

The Old Parsonage (Ou Pastorie)
The Old Parsonage in one of the most significant architectural treasures of Paarl. This building, situated below the impressive Tower Church (Toringkerk) in Main St, was completed in 1786.

It houses the Paarl Museum including an exceptional collection of Cape Dutch furniture and Cape silver and copperware.

La Concorde
This impressive building in Main Street, head quarters of the KWV, was completed in 1958 and stands on one of the first five farms within the present urban area of Paarl, granted to the French Huguenots by Simon Van Der Stel.

Other buildings
Scores of other noteworthy houses and farms are to be found in Paarl district. The homestead at Nederburg was built in 1800 and was, until recently altered, the only historical house in the Cape which had survived untouched and undamaged.

In De Jongh's Lane are three fine examples of Cape-Dutch buildings and Rozenfontein in Main St possibly dates back to the mid-19th century.

Het Gesticht in Main St, Goedeverwachting, Huis Verening, the old WP Bank as well as the Laborie Homestead are among other buildings in Paarl worthy of a visit.

Other Attractions

• Paarl Mountain Nature Reserve, especially noted for the enormous 500 million year-old granite rock (Paarl, Bretagne & Gordon) that gives Paarl its name.
• The Afrikaans Language Monument, on the slopes of Paarl Mountain and the Afrikaans Language Museum situated in the town.
• Treasure house of South African architecture along a 2 km stretch of the Main Street.
• The Paarl Museum is a must for its Cape Antiques and contemporary exhibitions of Paarl.
• The Ikhwezi Centre is the home to Bhabhathane weavers and artists from Mbekweni.
• In the Arboretum there are 700 indigenous and exotic species of trees. A footbridge across the Berg River gives access to paved walkways on the river bank.
• The Bird Sanctuary along the banks of the Berg River features 136 species of birds. Species include the beautiful Malachite Kingfisher, Maccoa Duck, African Marsh Harrier & African Fish eagle.
• Le Bonheur Crocodile Farm
• Butterfly World
• Lion Park