Bloemfontein

Sister cities

• Nanjing
• Bhubaneswar

History

Though historically a !Orana and Barolong settlement, and then a Boer settlement, Bloemfontein was officially founded in 1846 as a fort by British Army major Henry Douglas Warden as a British outpost in the Transoranje region, at that stage occupied by various groups of peoples including !Orana (so-called "Korana" of the ǀHõaǁʼaes, ǀHũdiǁʼaes, Einiǁʼaes, and others), Cape Colony Trekboers, Griqua (at that time known as "Baasters") and Barolong. Warden initially chose the site primarily because of its proximity to the main route to Winburg, the spacious open country, and the absence of horse sickness. Bloemfontein was the original farm of Johannes Nicolaas Brits, born on 21 February 1790, owner and first inhabitant of Bloemfontein. Johann – as he was known – sold the farm to Major Warden. He later bought what would later become the town of Brits, North West. With colonial policy shifts, the region changed into the Orange River Sovereignty (1848–1854) and eventually the Orange Free State Republic (1854–1902). From 1902 to 1910, it served as the capital of the Orange River Colony and since that time as the provincial capital of the Free State. In 1910, it became the Judicial capital of the Union of South Africa. A possible etymology for the city's name is that it is called Bloemfontein "Bloem's fountain", after Jan Bloem II, a Griqua leader. The Orange Free State was an independent Boer Republic in southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century. Extending between the Orange and Vaal rivers, its borders were determined by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in 1848 when the region was proclaimed as the Orange River Sovereignty, with a seat of a British Resident in Bloemfontein. As the capital of the Orange Free State Republic, the growth and…

Geography

Bloemfontein suburbs include Heidedal to the east and southeast, Bain's Vlei, Woodland Hills Wildlife Estate, Brandwag, Ehrlich Park, Fauna, Fichardt Park, Fleurdal, Gardenia Park, Generaal De Wet, Hospitaalpark, Kiepersol, Lourier Park, Park West, Pellissier, Uitsig, Universitas, Westdene, Wilgehof and Willows to the south of the city. In the centre is Bloemfontein Central. To the west of Bloemfontein, you will find Langenhoven Park. To the north you will find Arboretum, Baysvalley, Bayswater, Dan Pienaar, Helicon Heights, Heuwelsig, Hillsboro, Hillside, Hilton, Naval Hill, Navalsig, Noordhoek, Pentagon Park, Panorama Park, and Waverley. To the northeast, you will find Roodewal and Vallombrosa. The predominantly black suburbs are Rocklands, Phahameng, Phelindaba, Bloemanda, Bochabela, JB Mafora, and the most historic Batho, where the Maphikela House (where the African National Congress started) is situated.

Most-observed species

• Laughing Dove

  Spilopelia senegalensis (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  1,491
• Cape Sparrow

  Passer melanurus (Statius Muller, 1776) · Aves
  1,488
• Black-fronted Bulbul

  Pycnonotus nigricans (Vieillot, 1818) · Aves
  1,336
• Southern Masked-Weaver

  Ploceus velatus Vieillot, 1819 · Aves
  1,327
• Karoo Thrush

  Turdus smithi Bonaparte, 1850 · Aves
  1,305
• Cape Wagtail

  Motacilla capensis Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  1,302
• Ring-necked Dove

  Streptopelia capicola (Sundevall, 1857) · Aves
  1,290
• Speckled Pigeon

  Columba guinea Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  1,262

Most recent

• M 4.4 — 2017-09-15
  58 km S of Bloemfontein, South Africa