Thousands of local and international tourists visit the Voortrekker Monument every year, where they have the opportunity to go on this freedom journey together and learn more about our story as Afrikaners in Africa, from the Great Trek to the Anglo-Boer War and more.

It is also here where Afrikaners, young and old, can rediscover their heritage by digging deeper into their story of a vision of the future to be where they are today.

Buy your ticket today and join us in celebrating the unique Afrikaner heritage at the Cultural Home of the Afrikaner!

HALL OF HEROES

The Hall of Heroes is the first room visitors enter when they walk through the Monument’s front door. On the walls of the Hall of Heroes, the story of the Great Trek is depicted clockwise by 27 marble frieze panels.

These are the longest continuous frieze panels in the world.

Here, visitors can also learn more about the symbolism behind the widening circular patterns that cover the Hall of Heroes’ marble floor and the two remarkable domes above the Hall of Heroes.

CENOTAPH HALL

As you descend the stairs on either side of the Hall of Heroes, you reach the Cenotaph Hall.

With the cenotaph in the middle, you stand in a massive room, surrounded by paintings that tell more about the day-to-day life of the Trekkers.

The cenotaph is the central focal point of the Monument.

Come learn more about the meaning of the cenotaph and the symbolism behind the ray of sunlight.

Delve deeper into the history of the Johanna van der Merwe and Laas wagons, and meet Grietjie, the cannon used during the Battle of Blood River.

Come and experience the beautiful stained-glass panel with the Vow imprinted on it and artwork by WH Coetzer, like the Trek over the Drakensberg and the tapestries depicting the life of the Voortrekkers.

Come and view the unique folk art and possessions of the Voortrekkers that have been preserved years after the Great Trek and are now exhibited in the Cenotaph Hall.

KUNDRAMUS ART GALLERY

Come and witness the splendor of the KUNDRAMUS art gallery, where various paintings and sculptures by world-renowned artists are exhibited and offered for sale.

For more information about this exhibition, send an e-mail to Marize Möller at marizemoller@kultuurtuiste.org.za

VRIJHEIDSREIS MUSEUM EXHIBITION

From the Cenotaph Hall, visitors can then descend to the lower floor of the monument where our beautiful Vrijheidsreis museum exhibition is on display.

The Vrijheidsreis museum takes young and old on an interactive play-and-learn journey from the Great Trek all the way through to South Africa becoming a Republic and the building of the Voortrekker Monument.

This unique audio-visual exhibit features historical artifacts dating back to the Great Trek, clay models depicting scenes from the Great Trek, tapestry artwork, paintings and much more.

Come and see the many treasures on display, such as Sarel Cilliers’ trousers and an original copy of the Retief-Dingane Treaty, and visit the Moerdijk Hall, where you can learn more about the history of the design, construction and inauguration of the Voortrekker Monument.

DELVE DEEPER

Do you want to know more about the history of the hundreds of objects, attractions, artifacts and exhibits that can be seen in and around the Monument?

Order your copy of the Voortrekker Monument (VTM) guide today and delve deeper into our rich Afrikaner history! Available in eight (8) different languages.

Featuring more than a thousand beautiful photos and interesting facts about the Voortrekker Monument, the VTM guide takes readers on an interactive journey, including QR codes that allow visitors to watch video footage and listen to sounds as they walk through the Monument.

Contact Marike Prins at besprekings@kultuurtuiste.org.za to order your VTM guide, or visit the Monument and get your copy at Reception for only R300 per guide.

With a host of attractions, memorials and facilities that can also be visited elsewhere on-site, one thing is for sure … the journey of discovery of the Afrikaner’s heritage is not over once your tour of the Monument comes to an end!

Look at the site map you received from Reception or download it here.

Make sure you visit the following points of interest on the terrain as well to learn more about the Afrikaner’s rich heritage:

Dorsland Trek Memorial

SADF Wall of Remembrance

Tamed Freedom Statue

1938 Stone Cairn

The Historical Trek-Route Garden is a modern, interactive learn-while-you-explore outdoor exhibition where young and old can come and relax and learn about the Great Trek and the history of the Voortrekkers.

The garden, which depicts the story of the Great Trek on a small scale, contains replicas of various monuments commemorating historical events across South Africa.

Along with the replicas, there are also plaques with poems on them. These poems summarise the experience of the Great Trek strikingly by lyrically reflecting on the role that the ox wagons, the Bible, the children and the Vow played during the Great Trek.

Put on your vellies and come walk in the footsteps of five Voortrekker leaders – Louis Tregardt, Hendrik Potgieter, Gerrit Maritz, Piet Retief and Piet Uys.

Find your way barefoot across the Drakensberg with Susanna Smit. Follow the route of the Voortrekkers to Pietermaritzburg to see the Church of the Vow. Stop where Dirkie Uys defended his wounded father at the Battle of Italeni in Zululand and see where Piet Retief and his men were killed at uMgungundlovu.

Follow in the footsteps of Shawu, one of the Kruger National Park’s seven large elephants, where he takes his rightful place here at the “place of the elephants”.