South Africa/GP: Pretoria – Union Buildings

The Union Buildings in Pretoria are the official seat of the South African government and they house the offices of the President. The Union Buildings were built between 1910-13 and designed by the British. The architecture combines elements of Neoclassicism and the so called Cape Dutch style – sandstone construction with curved wings and Italian-style details. The buildings are built to mark the Union of South Africa in 1910, when the British colonies and Boer republics were unified into a single nation. The Union Buildings are surrounded by landscaped terraced gardens and also have a statue of Nelson Mandela, which was unveiled in 2013.