Paarl, South Africa

 

Paarl from the summit of Paarl Mountain,

looking across to the Klein-Drakenstein and Du Toitskloof Mountains

 

 

Paarl (/ˈpɑːrl/; Afrikaans: [ˈpɑːrl̩]; derived from Parel, meaning "pearl" in Dutch) is a town with 285,574 inhabitants in the Western Cape province of South Africa. It is the largest town in the Cape Winelands. Due to the growth of the Mbekweni township, it is now a de facto urban unit with Wellington. It is situated about 60 kilometres (37 mi) northeast of Cape Town in the Western Cape Province and is known for its scenic environment and viticulture and fruit-growing heritage.[citation needed] Paarl is a colonial town founded by Dutch colonists who seized Khoikhoi lands, many Khoi died in the colonisation process. Paarl's colonial society was dependent on enslaved people.

 

 

Afrikaans Language Monument, near Paarl, South Africa.

 

Toringkerk,_Paarl

This media shows a South African Protected Site

 

Entrance to KWV Head Office in Paarl, South Africa.

 

Sunset in Paarl

 

Main_Street,_Paarl

This media shows a South African Protected Site 

St_Petri_Lutheran_Church,_6_Meul_Street

This media shows a South African Protected Site 

 

 

Clockwise from top: View of Paarl and the Drakenstein Mountains; Toringkerk; Paarl Mountains; St Petri Church; Paarl Town Hall; KWV; Afrikaans Language Monument.

Khoikhoi was the original language of the Paarl area, spoken by the Khoi people who would later be forced to speak the language of Dutch colonists. Resistance through the language saw the heavy input of Khoi into the colonist's Dutch language, this input was a major contributor to the modern Afrikaans we know today.

 

Toringkerk_noordaansig

The Tower Church in central Paarl

 

Paarl is the seat of the Drakenstein Local Municipality; although not part of the Cape Town metropolitan area, it falls within its economic catchment. Paarl is unusual among South African place-names, in being pronounced differently in English than in Afrikaans; likewise unusual about the town's name is Afrikaners customary attachment to it, saying not in Paarl, but rather in die Paarl, or in die Pêrel (literally, "in the Paarl").

 

Afrikaanse Taalmonument in Paarl

 

Paarl gained additional international attention when, on 11 February 1990, Nelson Mandela walked, with live international television coverage, out of Victor Verster Correctional Centre (now known as Drakenstein Correctional Centre) in Paarl ending his 27 years of imprisonment, and beginning a course to South Africa's post-apartheid era and, notably, to multi-racial elections. Mandela spent three years in prison here living in a private house within the walls. Today, a bronze statue of Mandela stands outside the prison.

 

Paarl_mountains

Paarl Rock

 

Paarl hosted three matches of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003. The headquarters of Ceres Fruit Juices is located in the city, although its namesake and source of much of the fruit, Ceres Valley, lies around one hour's drive to the northeast.

 

The district is particularly well known for its Pearl Mountain or "Paarl Rock". This huge granite rock consists of three rounded outcrops. Paarl Rock consists of intrusive igneous rock.

 

Today Khoikhoi communities after 350 years of land robbery exist on the outskirts of Paarl in places like the Magnolia courts, Lantana, Smarty town and Chicago.

 

Classberg,_183_Main_Street,_Paarl

Classberg in Main Street.

 

Nederburg,_Paarl_District

Nederburg near Paarl

 

Strooidak_Church-Paarl-s

Strooidakkerk

 

 

Afrikaans Language Monument

 

132A Main Street

 

172 and 174 Main Street

 

188 Main Street

 

191 Main Street

 

214 Main Street Paarl

 

42A Main Street Paarl

 

52 Main Street Paarl

 

Laborie Wine Estate

 

Vineyards in Paarl

 

Cape_Town

Paarl Mountain

 

Paarl Mountain

 

Witte River

 

Vineyards in Paarl

 

Sunset_At_Winery_Paarl_Cape_Town 

Drakenstein Mountains

Drakenstein - Wikipedia

The Drakenstein mountain is a mountain range in the Western Cape province of South Africa. It lies opposite Simonsberg Mountain and is part of the Cape Fold Belt. It is named after ex-soldier Hendrik Adriaan van Rheede tot Drakenstein, who was Colonial adm

en.wikipedia.org

 

 

Paarl, South Africa

Paarl, South Africa

Nature lovers, foodies, and history buffs can all find appeal in this place whose name means 'pearl.' Here in Paarl, South Africa, an extensive network of trails traverses mountainsides and meadows alike, offering wanders amid wildflowers as well as high vistas of the city. Mild in climate, Paarl is also a major center in the Cape Winelands, where you'll find the country's finest vineyards. Finally, cementing its place in national history, Paarl is where then-future President Nelson Mandela was finally released from prison in 1990, heralding the end of apartheid.

 

Boland Bank Park is a cricket stadium in Paarl, South Africa

 

 

King David Mowbray Golf Club, Cape Town

 

 

The Paarl Spice Route in the Cape Winelands

 

Brookdale-Estate-vines-and-wines-of-Paarl

 

Brookdale-Taal-Monument-Paarl

 

Brookdale-Manor-House-Bird-Watching-Paarl