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Bloemfontein (Afrikaans
Afrikaans

Afrikaans is an Indo-European language, derived from Dutch language and thus classified as Low Franconian languages West Germanic languages. It is mainly spoken in South Africa and Namibia, with smaller numbers of speakers living in Botswana, Angola, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Zambia, Australia, New Zealand, United States of America, Taiwa...
 and Dutch
Dutch language

Dutch is a West Germanic languages spoken by over 22 million people as a first language, and about 5 million people as a second language."1% of the EU population claims to speak Dutch well enough in order to have a conversation." Outside the European Union the number of second language speakers of Dutch is very small. Most native...
 for "spring of Bloem (bloom)", "flower spring" or "fountain of flowers" is the capital city of the Free State
Free State

The Free State is a Provinces of South Africa of South Africa. The name is a popular contraction of the previous name the Orange Free State. Its capital is Bloemfontein which is also South Africa's judicial capital....
 Province of South Africa
South Africa

The Republic of South Africa, also known by Official names of South Africa, is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa....
 as well as one of the nation's three capitals, being the judicial capital. The city's Sesotho name is Mangaung, meaning "place of cheetah
Cheetah

The cheetah is an atypical member of the cat family that is unique in its speed, while lacking climbing abilities. Therefore it is placed in its own genus, Acinonyx....
s" and became part of the Mangaung Local Municipality in 2000. Bloemfontein is popularly and poetically known as "the city of roses", owing to the abundance of these flowers and the annual rose festival held there.






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Encyclopedia


Bloemfontein (Afrikaans
Afrikaans

Afrikaans is an Indo-European language, derived from Dutch language and thus classified as Low Franconian languages West Germanic languages. It is mainly spoken in South Africa and Namibia, with smaller numbers of speakers living in Botswana, Angola, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Zambia, Australia, New Zealand, United States of America, Taiwa...
 and Dutch
Dutch language

Dutch is a West Germanic languages spoken by over 22 million people as a first language, and about 5 million people as a second language."1% of the EU population claims to speak Dutch well enough in order to have a conversation." Outside the European Union the number of second language speakers of Dutch is very small. Most native...
 for "spring of Bloem (bloom)", "flower spring" or "fountain of flowers" is the capital city of the Free State
Free State

The Free State is a Provinces of South Africa of South Africa. The name is a popular contraction of the previous name the Orange Free State. Its capital is Bloemfontein which is also South Africa's judicial capital....
 Province of South Africa
South Africa

The Republic of South Africa, also known by Official names of South Africa, is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa....
 as well as one of the nation's three capitals, being the judicial capital. The city's Sesotho name is Mangaung, meaning "place of cheetah
Cheetah

The cheetah is an atypical member of the cat family that is unique in its speed, while lacking climbing abilities. Therefore it is placed in its own genus, Acinonyx....
s" and became part of the Mangaung Local Municipality in 2000. Bloemfontein is popularly and poetically known as "the city of roses", owing to the abundance of these flowers and the annual rose festival held there.

The city is situated on dry grassland at , at an altitude of 1,395 metres above sea level
Sea level

Mean sea level is the average height of the sea, with reference to a suitable reference surface. Defining the reference level , however, involves complex measurement, and accurately determining MSL can prove difficult....
. The city is home to 369,568 residents, while the Mangaung Local Municipality has a population of 645,455. Bloemfontein is served by Bloemfontein airport
Bloemfontein Airport

Bloemfontein Airport is located in Bloemfontein, a city in the Free State province of South Africa. The runways are shared with AFB Bloemspruit....
.

History


Though historically a predominantly Afrikaner
Afrikaner

Afrikaners are Afrikaans-speaking people who have been established in Southern Africa since the 17th century and are mainly of northwestern European ethnic groups descent....
 settlement, Bloemfontein was officially founded in 1846 as a fort by British army major Henry Douglas Warden
Henry Douglas Warden

Henry Douglas Warden was the British Resident of the Orange River Sovereignty from 1848-1852, and founder of Bloemfontein.Bibliography...
 as a British outpost in the Transoranje region, at that stage occupied by various groups of peoples including Cape Colony
Cape Colony

The Cape Colony, part of modern South Africa, was established by the Dutch East India Company in 1652, with the founding of Cape Town. It was subsequently occupied by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in 1795 when the Netherlands were occupied by French Revolution, so that the French revolutionaries could not take possession of...
 Trek Boers, Griqua
Griqua

The Griqua are a subgroup of South Africa's heterogeneous and multiracial Coloured people.The Griqua are often considered to be a racially and culturally mixed people whose origin goes back to the intermarriages or sexual relations between European colonists in the Cape Colony and the Khoikhoi already living there in the seventeenth and ei...
 and Basotho
Basotho

The Basotho people have lived in southern Africa since around the fifteenth century. The Basotho nation emerged from the accomplished diplomacy of Moshoeshoe I who gathered together disparate clans of Sotho-Tswana origin that had dispersed across southern Africa in the early 19th century....
.

Although modern day Bloemfontein has a reputation for its flowers in an otherwise arid region, the origin of the city's name is unclear. Popular legends include an ox named "Bloem" owned by one of the pioneer farmers that was taken by a lion near a fountain on his property, while another story names Jan Bloem (1775-1858), a Korana Griqua
Griqua

The Griqua are a subgroup of South Africa's heterogeneous and multiracial Coloured people.The Griqua are often considered to be a racially and culturally mixed people whose origin goes back to the intermarriages or sexual relations between European colonists in the Cape Colony and the Khoikhoi already living there in the seventeenth and ei...
 leader who inhabited the area. Bloemfontein literally means fountain of flowers or flower spring in Dutch
Dutch language

Dutch is a West Germanic languages spoken by over 22 million people as a first language, and about 5 million people as a second language."1% of the EU population claims to speak Dutch well enough in order to have a conversation." Outside the European Union the number of second language speakers of Dutch is very small. Most native...
.

With colonial policy shifts the region changed into the Orange River Sovereignty
Orange River Sovereignty

The Orange River Sovereignty was a short-lived political entity between the Orange River and Vaal rivers in southern Africa. In 1854, it became the Orange Free State, and is now the Free State province of South Africa....
 (1848-1854) and eventually the Orange Free State
Orange Free State

The Republic of the Orange Free State was an independent Boere-Afrikaner republic in southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century, and later a British Orange River Colony and a Provinces of South Africa of the Union of South Africa....
 Republic (1854-1902). From 1902-1910 it served as the capital of the Orange River Colony
Orange River Colony

The Orange River Colony was the United Kingdom colony created after this nation first occupied and then annexed the independent Orange Free State in the Second Boer War....
 and since that time as the provincial capital of the Orange Free State
Orange Free State

The Republic of the Orange Free State was an independent Boere-Afrikaner republic in southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century, and later a British Orange River Colony and a Provinces of South Africa of the Union of South Africa....
 (now Free State). In 1910 it became the Judicial Capital of South Africa.

Founding and early days


Warden originally chose the site largely because of its close proximity to the main route to Winburg, the spacious open country, and the absence of horse sickness
African Horse sickness

African horse sickness is a highly infectious, and deadly disease. It commonly affects horses, mules, donkeys and zebras. It is caused by a virus of the genus Orbivirus belonging to the family Reoviridae....
. Bloemfontein was the original farm of Johannes Nicolaas Brits born 21 february 1790 owner and first inhabitant of Bloemfontein. Johann as he was known sold the farm to Maj Warden.

1854-1898


De Wet Statue Bloemfontein
As the capital of the Orange Free State Republic the growth and maturing of the Republic resulted in the growth of the town. Numerous public buildings that remain in use today were constructed. This was largely facilitated by the excellent governance of the Republic (which acquired the term model republic) and the compensation from the British for the loss of the diamond rich Griqualand area.

A railway line was built in 1890 connecting Bloemfontein to Cape Town
Cape Town

Cape Town is the second most populous city in South Africa, forming part of the metropolitan municipality of the City of Cape Town. It is the provincial Capital of the Western Cape, as well as the legislature capital of South Africa, where the Parliament of South Africa and many government offices are located....
.

The writer J. R. R. Tolkien
J. R. R. Tolkien

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, Order of the British Empire was an English people English literature, poetry, Philology, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion....
 was born in the city on 3 January 1892, though his family left South Africa
South Africa

The Republic of South Africa, also known by Official names of South Africa, is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa....
 while he was still a child following the death of his father, Arthur Tolkien (1896). He recorded that his earliest memories were of "a hot country".

Second Anglo-Boer War/South African War


In 1899, the city was the site of the Bloemfontein Conference
Bloemfontein Conference

The Bloemfontein Conference was a meeting that took place in Bloemfontein, capital of the Orange Free State from May 31 until June 5, 1899. The main issue dealt with the status of British migrant workers called "Uitlanders", who mined the gold fields in Transvaal....
, which failed to prevent the outbreak of the Second Boer War
Second Boer War

The Second Boer War , commonly referred to as The Boer War and also known as the South African War , the Anglo-Boer War and in Afrikaans as the Boereoorlog or Tweede Vryheidsoorlog , was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902, between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics of the Orange Fre...
. The conference was a final attempt to avert a war between Britain
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name and the state form of the United Kingdom from 1 January 1801 until 12 April 1927....
 and the south African Republic
South African Republic

The South African Republic , often informally known as the Transvaal Republic, was an independent Boer-ruled country in Southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century....
. With its failure the stage was set for war, which broke out on 11 October 1899
1899 in South Africa

See also:1898 in South Africa,1899,1900 in South Africa and theTimeline of South African history.----...
.

The rail line from Cape Town
Cape Town

Cape Town is the second most populous city in South Africa, forming part of the metropolitan municipality of the City of Cape Town. It is the provincial Capital of the Western Cape, as well as the legislature capital of South Africa, where the Parliament of South Africa and many government offices are located....
 proved to be critical to the British in occupying the city later.

On 13 March 1900
1900 in South Africa

See also:1899 in South Africa,1900,1901 in South Africa and theTimeline of South African history.----...
, following the Battle of Paardeberg
Battle of Paardeberg

The Battle of Paardeberg was a major battle during the Second Anglo-Boer War. It was fought near Paardeberg Drift on the banks of the Modder River in the Orange Free State near Kimberley, Northern Cape....
, British
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
 forces captured the city and built a concentration camp
Second Boer War

The Second Boer War , commonly referred to as The Boer War and also known as the South African War , the Anglo-Boer War and in Afrikaans as the Boereoorlog or Tweede Vryheidsoorlog , was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902, between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics of the Orange Fre...
 nearby to house Boer
Boer

Boer is the Dutch language word for farmer which came to denote the descendants of the proto Afrikaans-speaking pastoralists of the eastern Cape frontier in Southern Africa during the 18th century as well as those who left the Cape Colony during the 19th century to settle in the Orange Free State, Transvaal and to a lesser extent Natal Pro...
 women and children. The National Women's Memorial, on the outskirts of the city, pays homage to the 26,370 women and children as well as 1,421 old men (including 14,154 black people, though some sources feel that the records are unsatisfactory, and that this number could be as high as 20,000) who died in these camps in various parts of the country.

Recent history


Until 1994, the city was the sole judicial capital of South Africa. It remains the seat for the Supreme Court Of Appeal
Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa

The South African Supreme Court of Appeal is the South African court that has the final say on all matters other than those that involve the interpretation of the Constitution of South Africa....
 (formerly the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court) and is therefore generally regarded as the judicial capital. It is also an administrative centre with many private hospitals and educational institutions.

Geography and Climate


Bloemfontein is located in central South Africa on the southern edge of the Highveld
Highveld

The Highveld is a high plateau region of South Africa which is largely home to the largest metropolitan area in the country, the Gauteng City Region, which accounts for one-third of South Africa's population....
 at an elevation of , bordering on the semi-arid region of the Karoo
Karoo

The Karoo is a semi-desert region of South Africa. It has two main sub-regions - the Great Karoo in the north and the Little Karoo in the south....
. The area is generally flat with occasional hills (koppies in Afrikaans
Afrikaans

Afrikaans is an Indo-European language, derived from Dutch language and thus classified as Low Franconian languages West Germanic languages. It is mainly spoken in South Africa and Namibia, with smaller numbers of speakers living in Botswana, Angola, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Zambia, Australia, New Zealand, United States of America, Taiwa...
) and the general vegetation is Highveld
Highveld

The Highveld is a high plateau region of South Africa which is largely home to the largest metropolitan area in the country, the Gauteng City Region, which accounts for one-third of South Africa's population....
 grassland. Bloemfontein experiences a continental climate, with hot summer days (Jan: max:31°C min:15°C; frequent afternoon thunderstorm
Thunderstorm

File:FoggDam-NT.jpgA thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm or a lightning storm, is a form of weather characterized by the presence of lightning and its effect: thunder....
s) and cooler, dry winters, often with frosts (July: max:17°C min:-2°C). Snow is rare but as recently as August 2006 it snowed in the city, with snowfalls occurring again at the airport on 26 July 2007.

+ Climate Table
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov DecYear
Highest recorded temperature (°C
Celsius

Celsius is a temperature scale that is named after the Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius , who developed a similar temperature scale two years before his death....
)		 39 39 35 33 30 25 24 29 34 35 37 38 39
Highest recorded temperature (°F
Fahrenheit

Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after the physicist Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit , who proposed it in 1724. Today, the scale has largely been replaced by the Celsius scale; it is still in use for non-scientific purposes in the United States and a few other countries such as Belize....
)		 102 102 95 91 86 77 75 84 93 95 99 100 102
Average daily maximum temperature (°C
Celsius

Celsius is a temperature scale that is named after the Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius , who developed a similar temperature scale two years before his death....
)		 31 29 27 23 20 17 17 20 24 26 28 30 24
Average daily maximum temperature (°F
Fahrenheit

Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after the physicist Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit , who proposed it in 1724. Today, the scale has largely been replaced by the Celsius scale; it is still in use for non-scientific purposes in the United States and a few other countries such as Belize....
)		 88 84 81 73 63 63 73 75 79 82 86 75
Average daily minimum temperature (°C
Celsius

Celsius is a temperature scale that is named after the Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius , who developed a similar temperature scale two years before his death....
)		 15 15 12 8 3 -2 -2 1 5 9 12 14 8
Average daily minimum temperature (°F
Fahrenheit

Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after the physicist Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit , who proposed it in 1724. Today, the scale has largely been replaced by the Celsius scale; it is still in use for non-scientific purposes in the United States and a few other countries such as Belize....
)		 59 59 54 46 37 28 28 34 41 48 54 57 46
Lowest recorded temperature (°C
Celsius

Celsius is a temperature scale that is named after the Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius , who developed a similar temperature scale two years before his death....
)		 6 4 1 -3 -9 -9 -10 -10 -7 -3 0 3 -10
Lowest recorded temperature (°F
Fahrenheit

Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after the physicist Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit , who proposed it in 1724. Today, the scale has largely been replaced by the Celsius scale; it is still in use for non-scientific purposes in the United States and a few other countries such as Belize....
)		 43 39 34 27 16 16 14 14 19 27 32 37 14
Average monthly precipitation (mm) 83 111 72 56 17 12 8 15 24 43 58 60 559
Average monthly precipitation (in) 3.3 4.4 2.8 2.2 0.7 0.5 0.3 0.6 0.9 1.7 2.3 2.4 22
Average number of rain days (>= 1 mm) 11 11 11 9 4 3 2 3 4 7 9 10 84
Source:


Suburbs


Bloemfontein suburbs include Woodland Hills Wildlife Estate, Bayswater, Brandwag, Ehrlichpark, Fauna
Fauna, Bloemfontein

Fauna is a suburb of the city of Bloemfontein in South Africa....
, Fichardtpark, Fleurdal, Gardeniapark, Generaal De Wet, Hospitaalpark, Kiepersol, Lourierpark, Park West, Pellissier, Uitsig, Universitas
Universitas

Universitas is a Latin word meaning "corporation". It may refer to:*Universitas 21, an international network of research-intensive universities....
, Westdene, Wilgehof and Willows
Willows, Bloemfontein

Willows is a suburb of Bloemfontein. It housed the first post office which was build in Bloemfontein. The Post Office was build in King Edward Drive, and most young people would know it as King Edward Cafe, however due to communication gaps, King Edward Cafe was demolished in 2006, to make space for residential flats....
 to the south of the city. To the north of Bloemfontein, you will find Langenhovenpark, Arboretum, Bayswater, Dan Pienaar
Dan Pienaar

Major General Daniel Hermanus Pienaar Order of the Bath, Distinguished Service Order Medal bar was a South African World War II military commander....
, Helicon Heights, Heuwelsig
Heuwelsig

Heuwelsig is a suburb of Bloemfontein.It can be accessed via two roads, and...
, Hillsboro, Hillside, Hilton, Naval Hill, Navalsig, Noordhoek
Noordhoek

Noordhoek is the name of several locations:* Noordhoek, Cape Town, South Africa* Noordhoek, Bloemfontein, South Africa* Noordhoek , the Netherlands...
, Pentagon Park, Waverley and Heidedal. The prodominantly black suburbs are; Rocklands, Phahameng, Phelindaba, Bloemanda and the most historic Bochabela where the Maphikela House (where the African national Congress - ANC started) is situated at.

Sports


Stadia

The Free State Stadium
Free State Stadium

The Free State Stadium, also known as Vodacom Park, is a stadium in Bloemfontein, South Africa, used for rugby union, as well as football ....
 and the surrounding sports complex is the main sports venue in the city and province. The venue will be the hosting stadium of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa matches played in Bloemfontein. There are several other sports venues however in the city, including facilities belonging to the university, schools and sports clubs.

Soccer

Bloemfontein is joint home (together with nearby Botshabelo) to Premier Soccer League
Premier Soccer League

Premier Soccer League is the trading name of the National Soccer League of South Africa, also known by its initials . The top league is the ABSA Premiership, sponsored by Absa Group Limited....
 team Bloemfontein Celtic
Bloemfontein Celtic

Bloemfontein Celtic is a South African football club based in Bloemfontein that plays in the Premier Soccer League.The club was founded in 1969 as Mangaung United Football Club....
. Some of the matches of the Football World Cup 2010 will be played at the Free State Stadium.

Rugby


Bloemfontein's Free State Stadium
Free State Stadium

The Free State Stadium, also known as Vodacom Park, is a stadium in Bloemfontein, South Africa, used for rugby union, as well as football ....
 is home to two rugby union
Rugby union

Rugby union is a competitive outdoor contact sport, played with an oval ball, by two teams of 15 players. It is one of the two main codes of rugby football, the other being rugby league....
 teams; the Central Cheetahs
Central Cheetahs

The Central Cheetahs, known for sponsorship reasons as Vodacom Cheetahs, is a South African Super 14 rugby union franchise that entered the competition in 2006....
 franchise who compete in the Super 14
Super 14

The Super 14 is the largest rugby union football club championship in the southern hemisphere, consisting of four state teams from Australia , five New Zealand franchises, each of which is comprised by a number of provinces , and five teams from South Africa ....
 and the Free State Cheetahs
Free State Cheetahs

The Free State Cheetahs , for sponsorship reasons named Vodacom Free State Cheetahs, are a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup tournament....
 who play in the domestic Currie Cup
Currie Cup

The Currie Cup tournament is South Africa's premier domestic rugby union competition, featuring teams representing either entire provinces or substantial regions within provinces....
. The Free State Cheetahs won the Currie Cup in 2005 against the Blue Bulls
Blue Bulls

The Blue Bulls, for sponsorship reasons named Vodacom Blue Bulls, or more popularly by the club's Afrikaans name die Blou Bulle, are a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup tournament....
, they drew the final with the Blue Bulls
Blue Bulls

The Blue Bulls, for sponsorship reasons named Vodacom Blue Bulls, or more popularly by the club's Afrikaans name die Blou Bulle, are a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup tournament....
 in 2006 and retained the Currie Cup
Currie Cup

The Currie Cup tournament is South Africa's premier domestic rugby union competition, featuring teams representing either entire provinces or substantial regions within provinces....
 title in 2007 by winning the Golden Lions
Golden Lions

The Golden Lions are the main rugby union for Johannesburg, South Africa, although they also represent a substantial portion of Gauteng Province—though not the Pretoria area, which is represented by the Blue Bulls, nor Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality, represented by the Falcons ....
 resulting in the Free State Cheetahs
Free State Cheetahs

The Free State Cheetahs , for sponsorship reasons named Vodacom Free State Cheetahs, are a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup tournament....
 to be Currie Cup
Currie Cup

The Currie Cup tournament is South Africa's premier domestic rugby union competition, featuring teams representing either entire provinces or substantial regions within provinces....
 champions until at least 2008. The official website of the Vodacom Cheetahs is http://www.vodacomcheetahs.com & their mobile friendly mobile site is http://m.vodacomcheetahs.com

Cricket


The Eagles cricket team
Eagles cricket team

The Gestetner Diamond Eagles is the name used by the combined Free State cricket team and Griqualand West cricket team first class cricket teams in South Africa....
 representing the Free State and Northern Cape in various series is located at OUTsurance Oval, part of the Free State Stadium
Free State Stadium

The Free State Stadium, also known as Vodacom Park, is a stadium in Bloemfontein, South Africa, used for rugby union, as well as football ....
 complex. http://www.eaglescricket.com

Soaring


One of the most active soaring
Gliding

Gliding refers to the descending flight of heavier-than-air craft, principally gliders s, hang gliders and paragliders. Technically, gliders, hang-gliders and paragliders are just different styles of glider used to pursue gliding and soaring for recreation, in the same way that sailboats and windsurfers share the lake and the wind....
 communities in South Africa and the world is using the New Tempe Airport north of Bloemfontein.

Motor Sports


Bloemfontein has a motocross
Motocross

Motocross is a form of motorcycle sport or all-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed off road circuits. Motocross is derived from the French language, and traces its origins to uk Motocross#History competitions....
 track run by the Bloemfontein Off Road Club, as well as a go-kart circuit (M&F Raceway), which is run by Bloemfontein Kart Club.

Education

Bloemfontein offers many institutions of learning, from pre-schools to Universities and colleges. Classes are tought in different schools in different languages, some schools even teaching all classes in two languages. These languages are mostly Afrikaans
Afrikaans

Afrikaans is an Indo-European language, derived from Dutch language and thus classified as Low Franconian languages West Germanic languages. It is mainly spoken in South Africa and Namibia, with smaller numbers of speakers living in Botswana, Angola, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Zambia, Australia, New Zealand, United States of America, Taiwa...
, English
English language

English is a West Germanic language that originated in Anglo-Saxon England and has lingua franca status in many parts of the world as a result of the military, economic, scientific, political and cultural influence of the British Empire in the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries and that of the United States from the mid 20th century onwa...
 or Sesotho.

Primary schools include, among others:
  • Sentraal Primary School


There are also several high schools (secondary schools) in the city, including:
  • in Bain's Vlei is a private Calvinist school, affiliated with the BCVO
    BCVO

    The BCVO is an educational organisation in South Africa, committed to educating the youth of the Boere-Afrikanervolk from grade 1 through 12 in the Calvinism tradition and Afrikaans language....
  • in Fichhardtpark
  • St. Andrew's School
    St. Andrew's School, Bloemfontein

    St. Andrew's School, established in 1863 is a public school for boys located in Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa.The years of study are from pre-primary to grade 12....
  • St. Michael's School
    St. Michael's School, Bloemfontein

    St. Michael's School, established in 1874 is a state school with a boarding option for girls located in Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa....


The largest tertiary institutions in Bloemfontein are the of University of the Free State
University of the Free State

The University of the Free State is situated in Bloemfontein, the capital of the Free State, South Africa. Bloemfontein is a modern city offering a full range of recreational, commercial and educational facilities, but which also retains a laid-back atmosphere that reflects its agricultural beginnings....
 and the Central University of Technology
Central University of Technology

Central University of Technology, Free State or Central University of Technology is a University of Technology in Bloemfontein in the Free State province of South Africa....
.

Recreational

Bloemfontein has an excellent Motocross
Motocross

Motocross is a form of motorcycle sport or all-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed off road circuits. Motocross is derived from the French language, and traces its origins to uk Motocross#History competitions....
 track run by the .

There is also a kart circuit (M&F Raceway), which is ruled by Bloemfontein Kart Club.

One can also enjoy a day or a sleep over at the Bloemfontein Zoo. Zoo Snoozes are only one of the activities arranged by .

Boyden Observatory
Boyden Observatory

Boyden Observatory is an astronomy research observatory and science education centre. It was originally founded by Harvard University and placed near Lima, Peru, Peru in 1889....
, a unique astronomy
Astronomy

Astronomy is the science of Astronomical object and Phenomenon that originate outside the Earth's atmosphere . It is concerned with the evolution, physics, chemistry, meteorology, and motion of celestial objects, as well as the physical cosmology....
 research and educational centre outside the city, offers public open evenings on certain nights during the year, arranged by the Friends of Boyden Observatory. Groups can also visit the observatory for exclusive evenings on appointment.

Atop Naval Hill is the Franklin Game Reserve. It was named after John Franklin, South African Senator, attorney and Mayor of Bloemfontein in the 1930s.

MACFUFE FESTIVAL Background

The Mangaung African Cultural Festival (MACUFE) was launched by the Free State Provincial Government in 1997. Since its launch MACUFE became one of the biggest cultural festival on the African continent with international acclaim. Over the years the festival has grown in leaps and bounds experiencing glitches here and there. In 2008 the festival will for the first time be directly under the auspices of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture politically led by MEC Ace Magashule. MEC Ace Magashule has given an undertaken that this year’s and subsequent year’s MACUFE will be something that the Free Staters and South Africans can be proud of. The official website for the Macufe Festival held each year in Bloemfontein is http://www.macufe.co.za and the mobile friendly site is http://m.macufe2008.co.za

Media

  • OFM
    OFM (South Africa)

    OFM is a regional radio station based in Bloemfontein, South Africa.It was originally a split of Radio Highveld only broadcasting in the evenings, and began broadcasting under the name Radio Oranje on the 1st of July, 1985....
     Radio Station


Famous People

Many famous persons are associated with Bloemfontein; these include:

  • Zola Budd
    Zola Budd

    Zola Pieterse, still better known by her maiden name of Zola Budd , is a former Olympic track and field competitor who, in less than three years, twice broke the world record in the women's 5000 meters, and twice was the women's winner at the World Cross Country Championships....
    , international long distance athlete, who was born in the city and attended Sentraal High School.
  • J. R. R. Tolkien
    J. R. R. Tolkien

    John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, Order of the British Empire was an English people English literature, poetry, Philology, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion....
     CBE
    Order of the British Empire

    The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a United Kingdom order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom....
     was born in Bloemfontein on 3 January 1892. Tolkien is famous for his fantasy epics The Hobbit
    The Hobbit

    The Hobbit, or There and Back Again is an award-winning Juvenile fantasy and children's book by J. R. R. Tolkien, written in the tradition of the fairy tale....
    , The Lord of the Rings
    The Lord of the Rings

    The Lord of the Rings is an Epic poetry high fantasy novel written by Philology J.R.R. Tolkien. The story began as a sequel to Tolkien's earlier, less complex children's fantasy novel The Hobbit , but eventually developed into a much larger work....
     and The Silmarillion
    The Silmarillion

    The Silmarillion is a collection of J. R. R. Tolkien's Mythopoeia works, edited and published posthumously by his son Christopher Tolkien in 1977, with assistance from Guy Gavriel Kay, who later became a noted fantasy writer....
    . When aged 3, Tolkien left South Africa for England.
  • Shaun Morgan
    Shaun Morgan

    Shaun Morgan Welgemoed is a South African musician, known as the lead singer of the post-grunge band Seether....
    , musician
  • Hansie Cronje
    Hansie Cronje

    Wessel Johannes "Hansie" Cronje was a South African cricketer and captain of the South African national cricket team in the 1990s. He was voted the SABC3's Great South Africans in 2004 despite having been banned for life from professional cricket for his role in a match-fixing scandal....
    , controversial South African cricket
    Cricket

    Cricket is a Bat-and-ball games team sport that originated in southern England. The earliest definite reference is dated 1598, and it is now played in more than 100 countries....
     captain
  • Juan Smith
    Juan Smith

    Juan Smith is a South African rugby union footballer. His usual position is at blindside , although he has also played , he plays for the South African national rugby union team....
    , rugby
    Rugby union

    Rugby union is a competitive outdoor contact sport, played with an oval ball, by two teams of 15 players. It is one of the two main codes of rugby football, the other being rugby league....
     player
  • Os du Randt
    Os du Randt

    Jacobus Petrus du Randt, better known as Os du Randt , is a former South African rugby union who retired as the most-cap forward in the history of the South Africa national rugby union team ....
    , rugby
    Rugby union

    Rugby union is a competitive outdoor contact sport, played with an oval ball, by two teams of 15 players. It is one of the two main codes of rugby football, the other being rugby league....
     player
  • Allan Donald
    Allan Donald

    Allan Anthony Donald, is a former South Africa cricket team cricketer, and one of their most successful pace bowling ever.In his prime, he was one of the best fast bowlers ever seen in Test cricket, reaching the top of the ICC Test rankings in 1998, and peaked with a top ICC ranking of 895 points the next year, the 25th best ranking ever....
    , South African cricket
    Cricket

    Cricket is a Bat-and-ball games team sport that originated in southern England. The earliest definite reference is dated 1598, and it is now played in more than 100 countries....
    er
  • Francois Steyn
    François Steyn

    Francois Steyn is a South African rugby union player, who plays for South Africa national rugby union team; the Natal Sharks in the country's domestic competition, the Currie Cup; and the Sharks in the Southern Hemisphere Super 14 competition....
    , rugby
    Rugby union

    Rugby union is a competitive outdoor contact sport, played with an oval ball, by two teams of 15 players. It is one of the two main codes of rugby football, the other being rugby league....
     player
  • Ryk Neethling
    Ryk Neethling

    Ryk Neethling is a South African swimmer. He won an Olympic gold medal in the 4x100 freestyle relay at the 2004 Summer Olympics. He is the former joint owner of the 4x100 freestyle relay world record and holds several South African records....
    , Olympic
    Olympic Games

    The Olympic Games are an international multi-sport event established for both summer and winter sports. There have been two generations of the Olympic Games; the first were the Ancient Olympic Games held at Olympia, Greece, Greece....
     gold medalist swimmer
  • Morne van Wyk
    Morne van Wyk

    Morne Nico van Wyk is a South Africa cricket teamn cricketer who has played six One Day Internationals.External links*...
     played for South Africa Proteas Cricket team
  • Cobus Potgeiter, a popular drummer on video sharing sites like YouTube, resides in Bloemfontein.
  • Kareem Salman, Humanitarian born in Bloemfontein.


Religion

Bloemfontein has a large and diverse Christian population. The city houses several churches and denominations:

  • It is the seat of the Anglican Diocese of the Free State
    Anglican Diocese of the Free State

    The Anglican Diocese of the Free State is a diocese in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa....
  • Afrikaans Baptist Church (Afrikaans: Afrikaanse Baptiste Kerk)
  • Dutch Reformed Church
    Dutch Reformed Church

    Dutch Reformed Church was one of many branches of churches established during the Protestant Reformation in Europe in the sixteenth century. While the Dutch Reformed Church was based in the Netherlands, other churches holding similar theological views were founded in France, Switzerland, Germany, Hungary, England, and Scotland....
     (Afrikaans: Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk)
  • Sacred Heart Cathedral in Bloemfontein is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bloemfontein
    Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bloemfontein

    The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bloemfontein is the Metropolitan bishop Episcopal See for the Ecclesiastical province of Bloemfontein in South Africa....
Seventh day Adventist church Southern African headquarters.

Local Governance


Bloemfontein forms part of the Manguang Local Municipality and the Motheo District Municipality
Motheo District Municipality

Motheo is one of the 5 Districts of South Africa of Free State province of South Africa. The seat of Motheo is Bloemfontein. The majority of its 728,228 people speak Sesotho ....
.

Community Service Organizations

  • Round Table
    Round Table (club)

    The Round Table is a friendship organisation, founded in Norwich, England, in 1927 . The Round Table is a club for young men aged between 18 and 45 that provides a selection of social and community service related opportunities for its members....
     is a non-political, non-racial association of young men between the ages of 18 and 40, embracing representatives of nearly every profession and occupation. Its objects are the encouragement of high ethical standards, the promotion of social inter-action and fellowship among young professional and business men and the quickening of individual interest in everything affecting the public welfare.
  • The first Round Table
    Round Table (club)

    The Round Table is a friendship organisation, founded in Norwich, England, in 1927 . The Round Table is a club for young men aged between 18 and 45 that provides a selection of social and community service related opportunities for its members....
     was formed in Norwich
    Norwich

    Norwich , is a city status in the United Kingdom in Norfolk, East Anglia which is in Eastern England. It is the regional administrative centre and county city of Norfolk....
    , England in 1927. The founder, Louis Marchesi, was a young member of Norwich Rotary Club who felt a need existed for a club where the young business men of the town could gather on a regular basis. At their meetings they could exchange ideas, learn from the experiences of their colleagues and play a collective part in the civic life of Norwich. From a very early stage it was agreed that Round Table would be a non-religious, non-political club and this has continued to this day.
  • Child Welfare Bloemfontein & Childline Free State is a non-profit organisation that was founded in 1914 by a group of volunteers who identified a need for welfare services among the community. In 2004, Child Welfare Bloemfontein celebrated its 90th birthday. Over the past 90 years, many community programmes have been successfully implemented.
  • Our vision was " To develop an effective road safety information portal that will enhance awareness of road safety and save lives", the web site is currently owned by Adv. Johan Jonck & was developed by a local Bloemfontein web site company Chillies.co.za & this partnership achieved massive milestones has now been endorsed by the RTMC & Department of Roads South Africa as the only Official Road Safety web site for South Africa.


External links

  • The official Mangaung Local Municipality website
  • Bloemfontein Information for "2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa"