The iconic Pink Church in Matjiesfontein
I didn’t know much about the Lord Milner Hotel before I arrived, but I loved discovering that this beautifully preserved Victorian town it lives in. Matjiesfontein is a true hidden gem in South Africa! Their famous Pink Church was one of my favorite finds; I found out it originally served as the village’s school and concert hall before becoming a church. Read more here. Here are a few fun facts I discovered during my trip:
🏛️ The entire village is a National Heritage Site.
🚂 The Blue Train still stops in Matjiesfontein.
🚉 The original Victorian railway platform still stands.
📖 Olive Schreiner and Cecil John Rhodes both knew the village.
🌌 The Karoo’s dark skies are perfect for stargazing.
✨ The Lord Milner Hotel was built in 1899 during South Africa’s railway boom.
⚔️ It served as British Army headquarters during the Anglo-Boer War.
👻 It’s one of South Africa’s most famous haunted hotels.
📮 Visit the old Post Office, Standard Bank, and Registrar’s Office.
🕰️ Walking through Matjiesfontein feels like stepping back in time.
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Altitude here is 2957 feet (901 metres)
Matjiesfontein has a population of only about 100 people
The village gets its name from the matjiesriet (reed), a plant that once grew abundantly along the nearby river
The Transport Museum is home to a genuine Victorian-era penny-farthing
An original Victorian-era penny-farthing. Riders sat nearly 1.5 metres (5 feet) off the ground!
The village still has its original Victorian-style Post Office, bank, railway station, and civic buildings
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