The 1820 Settlers National Monument,
which honours the contribution to South African society made by the British
1820 Settlers
The 1820 Settlers were several groups of British colonists from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, settled by the government of the United Kingdom and the Cape Colony authorities in the Eastern Cape of South Africa in 1820.
Origins
After ...
, overlooks
Makhanda in the
Eastern Cape. It commemorates the
Anglo-Africans
The British diaspora in Africa is a population group broadly defined as English-speaking white Africans of mainly (but not only) British descent who live in or come from Sub-Saharan Africa. The majority live in South Africa and other Southern ...
, as well as the English language,
as much as the settlers themselves. The building was designed by John Sturrock,
Sturrock was inspired by the work of
Louis Kahn
Louis Isadore Kahn (born Itze-Leib Schmuilowsky; – March 17, 1974) was an Estonian-born American architect based in Philadelphia. After working in various capacities for several firms in Philadelphia, he founded his own atelier in 1935. Whi ...
.
National Arts Festival
The Monument is closely linked with the
National Arts Festival
The National Arts Festival (NAF) is an annual festival of performing arts in Grahamstown, South Africa. It is the largest arts festival on the African continent and one of the largest performing arts festivals in the world by visitor numbers.
Th ...
, often known simply as the Grahamstown Festival. Ever since the monument's opening on 13 July 1974, the festival has been held there every year, except for in 1975. Virtually all possible venues in Grahamstown are used during the festival, but the Monument is the anchor of the event and the biggest venue too. The main theatre in the monument complex is named after
Guy Butler.
Fire in 1994
The monument was devastated by a fire in 1994 and rebuilt
and was officially re-dedicated by
Nelson Mandela in May 1996.
See also
*
Rhodes University
Rhodes University is a public research university located in Makhanda (Grahamstown) in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. It is one of four universities in the province. Established in 1904, Rhodes University is the province's oldest ...
*
National Arts Festival
The National Arts Festival (NAF) is an annual festival of performing arts in Grahamstown, South Africa. It is the largest arts festival on the African continent and one of the largest performing arts festivals in the world by visitor numbers.
Th ...
Notes
References
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External links
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{{Authority control
Cultural infrastructure completed in 1974
Monuments and memorials in South Africa
Buildings and structures in Makhanda, Eastern Cape
British-South African culture