Bloemfontein facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bloemfontein Mangaung (Sesotho) ǀʼAuxa ǃXās (ǃOrakobab)
Capital city (judicial branch)
Skyline of Bloemfontein Supreme Court of Appeal Bloemfontein City Hall National Women's Monument Obelisk Fourth Raadsaal National Afrikaans Literary Museum and Research Centre Replica of the Eiffel Tower University of the Free State Bloemfontein CBD
Coat of arms
Nickname(s):  City of Roses
Motto(s):  "Floreat" ("Flourish")
Bloemfontein Location in Free State (South African province) Show map of Free State (South African province) Bloemfontein Location in South Africa Show map of South Africa Bloemfontein Location in Africa Show map of Africa
Country	South Africa
Province	Free State
Municipality	Mangaung
Established	1846
Government
• Type	Metropolitan municipality
Area
• Capital city (judicial branch)	236.17 km2 (91.19 sq mi)
• Metro	6,283.99 km2 (2,426.26 sq mi)
Elevation	1,395 m (4,577 ft)
Population  (2011)
• Capital city (judicial branch)	256,185
• Density	1,084.748/km2 (2,809.49/sq mi)
• Metro	747,431
• Metro density	118.94211/km2 (308.0586/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
• Black	56.1%
• Coloured	12.8%
• Indian/Asian	0.8%
• White	29.8%
• Other	0.5%
First languages (2011)
• Afrikaans	42.5%
• Sotho	33.4%
• English	7.5%
• Xhosa	7.1%
• Tswana	9.5%
Time zone	UTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)	9300
PO box	9301
Area code	051
HDI (2012)	0.860 very high
Water Hardness	Level 3 (average)

Bloemfontein is a big city in South Africa. It's often called "Bloem" for short. It is the capital of the Free State province. Bloemfontein is also known as the country's "judicial capital." This means it's home to important courts, like the Supreme Court of Appeal.

The city sits high up, about 1,395 meters above sea level. In 2011, about 256,185 people lived there. Bloemfontein is part of a larger area called the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality, which has over 747,000 residents. It was even one of the cities that hosted games for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Bloemfontein has many interesting places to visit. These include the Franklin Game Reserve, Naval Hill, and the Sand du Plessis Theatre. You can also find several museums here, like the National Women's Monument and the National Museum. The city also has a special planetarium, the Naval Hill Planetarium, where you can learn about stars.

People often call Bloemfontein the "City of Roses." This is because so many beautiful roses grow there. The city even holds a big rose festival every year! It's located right in the middle of South Africa. The local Sesotho name for the city is Mangaung, which means "place of cheetahs."

Discovering Bloemfontein's Past

How Bloemfontein Began

Bloemfontein was officially started in 1846. A British Army major named Henry Douglas Warden set it up as a fort. At first, the area was home to different groups of people. Major Warden chose the spot because it was easy to reach and had wide-open spaces.

Over time, the region changed. It became the Orange River Sovereignty and then the Orange Free State Republic. From 1902 to 1910, it was the capital of the Orange River Colony. Since 1910, it has been the main city of the Free State province. It also became the judicial capital of the Union of South Africa. Some people think the name Bloemfontein means "Bloem's fountain," named after a leader called Jan Bloem II.

The Orange Free State Republic (1854–1902)

Statue of President Johannes Brand from the 19th century.

The Orange Free State was an independent republic in southern Africa. It was located between the Orange and Vaal rivers. The British set its borders in 1848. As the capital, Bloemfontein grew a lot during this time. Many public buildings were built, and some are still used today. The old presidential home, the Old Presidency, is now a museum.

In 1890, a railway line connected Bloemfontein to Cape Town. This railway was very important, especially when the British later took over the city.

Did you know that the famous writer J. R. R. Tolkien was born in Bloemfontein? He was born on January 3, 1892. His family left when he was three years old. He is known for writing The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

In 1899, a meeting called the Bloemfontein Conference happened here. It tried to stop a war between Britain and the South African Republic. But it failed, and the Second Boer War began soon after.

On March 13, 1900, the British took over Bloemfontein. They built a camp nearby for Boer women and children. In 1913, the National Women's Monument was built to remember those who died in these camps. A hill in town was named Naval Hill. This was because the British brought big naval guns there to protect the city.

Becoming Part of South Africa (1910s)

On May 31, 1910, South Africa became a single country called the Union of South Africa. Bloemfontein was chosen to be the judicial capital. This meant it would host important courts.

On January 8, 1912, the South African Native National Congress (SANNC) was started in Bloemfontein. This group was formed to fight for the rights of black South Africans. They held big protests in the city.

Life During Apartheid (1948–1994)

After 1948, the government in South Africa began a policy called apartheid. This policy meant that people were separated based on their race. In Bloemfontein, this separation had already started much earlier. Different areas were set aside for different racial groups.

For example, the city moved its Coloured population to Heidedal. New areas were also built for black people, like Sotho, Xhosa, and Tswana groups. These areas were together known as Mangaung. Physical barriers like railway lines were used to keep groups apart.

Later, new areas like Botshabelo were added to help with housing shortages. People from Botshabelo often traveled to Bloemfontein for work. After 1994, when apartheid ended, Bloemfontein, Botshabelo, and Thaba Nchu became part of the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality.

Bloemfontein Today (Since 1994)

Since 1994, Bloemfontein has continued to be an important city. It is still the home of the Supreme Court of Appeal. It's also a center for business, hospitals, and schools.

Bloemfontein's Geography and Weather

Bloemfontein is in the middle of South Africa. It's on the edge of a high area called the Highveld. The land is mostly flat with some small hills. The weather here is a cold semi-arid climate. This means it has hot summers and cool, dry winters.

Rain usually falls in summer, often during quick thunderstorms. Winters are dry and dusty, with cold nights. Snow is rare but has happened a few times. The high elevation means temperatures can change a lot between day and night.

Bloemfontein's Neighborhoods

A dust storm in Bloemfontein.

The Hamilton industrial area.

A replica of the Eiffel Tower in Bloemfontein.

Bloemfontein has many different neighborhoods, called suburbs. Some of these include Heidedal, Brandwag, Fichardt Park, and Universitas. In the center is Bloemfontein Central. To the north, you'll find areas like Dan Pienaar and Naval Hill. There are also historically black neighborhoods like Rocklands, Phahameng, and Batho.

Sports in Bloemfontein

Main Sports Venues

The Free State Stadium.

The Free State Stadium is the main sports place in Bloemfontein. It hosted matches during the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Other stadiums include Mangaung Oval and Dr. Petrus Molemela Stadium.

Football Fun

Bloemfontein is home to the Premier Soccer League team Bloemfontein Celtic. They share their home with nearby Botshabelo. The city was excited to host some of the 2010 FIFA World Cup games.

Rugby Excitement

The Free State Stadium is also home to two rugby teams. These are the Cheetahs and the Free State Cheetahs. The Free State Cheetahs have won the Currie Cup rugby competition several times.

Cricket and More

The Knights cricket team plays at Mangaung Oval. Bloemfontein often hosts international and local cricket games. The city also has active communities for soaring (flying gliders) and motocross (motorcycle racing). You can even find places for rock climbing here!

The Beautiful Rose Festival

Every October, Bloemfontein celebrates the 'Bloemfontein Rose Festival'. It's also known as the 'Mangaung Rose Festival'. This is when the roses in the Free State bloom best. People who love roses come from all over to see this event.

Festival History and Activities

The first rose festival was in 1976. City leaders thought it was a good idea because of the city's nickname, "City of Roses." The festival has grown a lot since then.

During the festival, people can visit private gardens all over the city. Local nurseries also show off their flowers at the Loch Logan Waterfront. This is the biggest shopping center in central South Africa. The festival also includes a rose competition and a "Miss Volksblad Rosebud" contest for young girls.

There's also the Mangaung Rose Classic Cycle Tour. This bike race has different distances for riders. The "Let's Green Bloem Expo" is part of the festival too. It shows off local businesses that help the environment.

Learning in Bloemfontein

Bloemfontein has many schools and colleges. You can find everything from pre-schools to universities. Classes are taught in different languages, mainly Afrikaans, English, and Sesotho.

Schools for Young Learners

• St. Andrew's Primary School
• Grey College Primary School

High Schools for Teens

• St. Andrew's School
• Grey College
• Eunice High School
• Bloemfontein High School
• Hoërskool Fichardtpark
• Hoërskool Jim Fouché
• Hoërskool Sand du Plessis
• St. Michael's School
• Hoërskool Sentraal

Universities and Colleges

• University of the Free State
• Central University of Technology
• Motheo TVET college

Getting Around Bloemfontein

Roads and Highways

Bloemfontein is connected by important roads. The N1 highway goes around the city. The N8 connects Bloemfontein to Kimberley and Maseru, the capital of Lesotho. The N6 goes south towards East London. There are also other regional roads that connect to nearby towns.

Train Travel

Bloemfontein is an important train junction. It connects Johannesburg and Cape Town. You can take daily trains to cities like Port Elizabeth and East London.

Airports

The city has two airports. New Tempe Aerodrome is used for pilot training. Bram Fischer International Airport has flights to major South African cities.

Public Transport

The city is building a new public transport system. This will include busways and stations to make it easier for people to travel around.

Famous People from Bloemfontein

Many well-known people have connections to Bloemfontein:

Sports Stars

• François Steyn, rugby player
• Juan Smith, rugby player
• Os du Randt, rugby player
• Allan Donald, South African cricketer
• Hansie Cronje, South African cricket captain
• Willem Jackson, football player
• Thembinkosi Lorch, football player
• Ryk Neethling, Olympic gold medalist swimmer
• Zola Budd, international long-distance runner

Musicians and Actors

• Leon Schuster, filmmaker, comedian, and musician
• Shaun Morgan and Dale Stewart, founding members of the band Seether
• Tony Kgoroge, South African actor

Other Notable People

• J. R. R. Tolkien, famous author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, was born here.

Bloemfontein's Religions

Bloemfontein has many different Christian churches. It is the main city for the Anglican Diocese of the Free State. You can also find the Sacred Heart Cathedral for Roman Catholics. There are also Dutch Reformed and Baptist churches. The city also has a Jewish population that started in the mid-1800s.

Images for kids

• 

  Bloemfontein Coat of Arms

See also

In Spanish: Bloemfontein para niños