One of the oldest churches is found in Pacaltsdorp near George in the Southern Cape. The Stone Church  was officially inaugurated on 19 June 1825. (Click on Thumbnails to enlarge images)

I met the church keeper, Johnny Junies. He highlighted some interesting facts about the history of this church.

Johnny pointed to the names on the memorial stone. The church was founded by a missionary, Rev. Carl Pacalt in 1813.

The area was known as Hoogekraal and was named after Rev. Pacalt after he died in 1818. The magistrate of George, Van Kervel, renamed Hoogekraal and it became Pacaltsdorp as it is known today. Pacalt was later followed-up by a Rev. William Anderson who started to build the stone church.

This historical building is a tourism attraction and visited by tourists and visitors from overseas.
The church is still used for community prayer meetings and is also a popular venue for weddings. The building has an old wooden finish on the inside.

Looking at some old photos and history written up, it is clear that the Pacalts church community plays a strong and active role to preserve the history of this building.

I drove back and wondered why mankind (or some of us) are drawn to old buildings?
Don’t have an answer, but perhaps it’s for the same reason we sometimes sit on the beach, just staring at the ocean?

Contact:  044-878-0877

amanda@gardenroute.com

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