Paarl
When the early explorer Abraham Gabbema saw them in 1657, on a morning when the dew glistened on their mica-studded surfaces, the heights reminded him of a 'diamandtende peerlberg (diamond and pearl mountain).
Paarl is a romantic town built on both sides of a 10-kilometre Main Street, shaded by oaks and jacarandas. Although Europeans settled in the valley in 1687, Paarl did not take shape until 1720 when a church was built and a street laid out and planted with the oaks for which the town is famous. Paarl became a principle centre in southern Africa for the manufacture of wagons. The local granite provided ample raw material for the manufacture of tombstones and prepared building stone. Other industries include fruit growing, wine making and the canning of fruit and vegetables.
Dominating the wine lands centre of Paarl is the domed Paarlberg, with its three rounded outcrops known as Paarl Rock, Bretagne Rock and Gordon's Rock. From their summits there are superlative views of the town below, the splendid Berg River Valley, its flanking ranges and, in the distance, the ocean and the distinctive bulk of Table Mountain. It is from these granite outcrops that Paarl derived its name. Nearby, on the southern slope of Paarl Mountain, stands the Afrikaans Language Monument.
Paarl is where the Afrikaans language officially began in 1875 when the first Afrikaans text newspaper, Die Patriot was published. Previously, although Afrikaans was a spoken language, uncharitably referred to as 'kitchen Dutch', High Dutch was the written medium. It took from 1875 until 1925 to have Afrikaans established constitutionally as the other official language of South Africa. The Afrikaans Taal (language) monument with its spires looms high above Paarl in commemoration of its special position in the history of the Afrikaans language.
The Gideon Malherbe House in Parsonage Lane was the home of Gideon Jozua Malherbe, one of the eight founders of the Genootskaap van Regte Afrikaners, which was formed in the house in 1875 and laid the foundation of the Afrikaans language. Amongst many of the owner's original possessions is the printing press on which Die Patriot, the first Afrikaans newspaper was printed.
Many of its beautiful historic monuments can be seen along the oak-shaded Main Street, and the 1787 Oude Pastorie (old parsonage), now housing a cultural museum and the Dutch Reformed Strooidakkerk (thatched church), completed in 1805, are among the more notable national monuments.
Paarl is also known for its world famous wines. The story of South African wine begins shortly after 1652 when the Dutch governor, Jan van Riebeeck realised that a Mediterranean climate was better suited to making wine than it was to brewing beer.
The first wine was pressed in 1657 and was, according to van Riebeeck's diary, virtually undrinkable! There was room for improvement! In 1688, the French Huguenots (French Protestants) fleeing persecution in France, were given refuge at the Cape. Although mostly townsmen and artisans, their knowledge of wine was superior to that of the Dutch.
Simon van der Stel, one of the most important governors established his own wine estate at Constantia, which still produces wine. In the nineteenth century, Constantia wine - a sweet variety - was drunk by Napoleon on St Helena, Louis Philippe, king of France (1830 - 1848), Lord Palmerston and Bismarck.
Cape wine was always in demand as being preferable to maggot-infested water on the ships sailing between Europe and India. However, in the 1850's the industry went into serious decline. Firstly Gladstone, the British Chancellor of the Exchequer, revoked the preferential tariffs granted to Cape wines entering Britain, thus placing them at a disadvantage to French and Portuguese wines. Secondly, an invisible microbe, the phyloxera, quietly started attacking the deep roots of the vine stocks until, one fine day, the vines simply keeled over. The phyloxera killed the wine industry. The Cloetes were forced to sell Groot Constantia to the Cape colonial government in order to stave off bankruptcy (1880).
Only the arrival of New World cultivars from California in the 1890s rescued the Cape wine industry. This then led to increased supply and finally glut during the First World War, which resulted in the formation the KWV.
Although there still remains a rough edge to most Cape wines, we are working on improvement all the time. Price is usually a strong indicator of quality and there are some wines which may even confuse a Tastevin. The wines served on Rovos Rail are all from Cape cellars and have been carefully selected from the best on offer.
Paarl is a romantic town built on both sides of a 10-kilometre Main Street, shaded by oaks and jacarandas. Although Europeans settled in the valley in 1687, Paarl did not take shape until 1720 when a church was built and a street laid out and planted with the oaks for which the town is famous. Paarl became a principle centre in southern Africa for the manufacture of wagons. The local granite provided ample raw material for the manufacture of tombstones and prepared building stone. Other industries include fruit growing, wine making and the canning of fruit and vegetables.
Dominating the wine lands centre of Paarl is the domed Paarlberg, with its three rounded outcrops known as Paarl Rock, Bretagne Rock and Gordon's Rock. From their summits there are superlative views of the town below, the splendid Berg River Valley, its flanking ranges and, in the distance, the ocean and the distinctive bulk of Table Mountain. It is from these granite outcrops that Paarl derived its name. Nearby, on the southern slope of Paarl Mountain, stands the Afrikaans Language Monument.
Paarl is where the Afrikaans language officially began in 1875 when the first Afrikaans text newspaper, Die Patriot was published. Previously, although Afrikaans was a spoken language, uncharitably referred to as 'kitchen Dutch', High Dutch was the written medium. It took from 1875 until 1925 to have Afrikaans established constitutionally as the other official language of South Africa. The Afrikaans Taal (language) monument with its spires looms high above Paarl in commemoration of its special position in the history of the Afrikaans language.
The Gideon Malherbe House in Parsonage Lane was the home of Gideon Jozua Malherbe, one of the eight founders of the Genootskaap van Regte Afrikaners, which was formed in the house in 1875 and laid the foundation of the Afrikaans language. Amongst many of the owner's original possessions is the printing press on which Die Patriot, the first Afrikaans newspaper was printed.
Many of its beautiful historic monuments can be seen along the oak-shaded Main Street, and the 1787 Oude Pastorie (old parsonage), now housing a cultural museum and the Dutch Reformed Strooidakkerk (thatched church), completed in 1805, are among the more notable national monuments.
Paarl is also known for its world famous wines. The story of South African wine begins shortly after 1652 when the Dutch governor, Jan van Riebeeck realised that a Mediterranean climate was better suited to making wine than it was to brewing beer.
The first wine was pressed in 1657 and was, according to van Riebeeck's diary, virtually undrinkable! There was room for improvement! In 1688, the French Huguenots (French Protestants) fleeing persecution in France, were given refuge at the Cape. Although mostly townsmen and artisans, their knowledge of wine was superior to that of the Dutch.
Simon van der Stel, one of the most important governors established his own wine estate at Constantia, which still produces wine. In the nineteenth century, Constantia wine - a sweet variety - was drunk by Napoleon on St Helena, Louis Philippe, king of France (1830 - 1848), Lord Palmerston and Bismarck.
Cape wine was always in demand as being preferable to maggot-infested water on the ships sailing between Europe and India. However, in the 1850's the industry went into serious decline. Firstly Gladstone, the British Chancellor of the Exchequer, revoked the preferential tariffs granted to Cape wines entering Britain, thus placing them at a disadvantage to French and Portuguese wines. Secondly, an invisible microbe, the phyloxera, quietly started attacking the deep roots of the vine stocks until, one fine day, the vines simply keeled over. The phyloxera killed the wine industry. The Cloetes were forced to sell Groot Constantia to the Cape colonial government in order to stave off bankruptcy (1880).
Only the arrival of New World cultivars from California in the 1890s rescued the Cape wine industry. This then led to increased supply and finally glut during the First World War, which resulted in the formation the KWV.
Although there still remains a rough edge to most Cape wines, we are working on improvement all the time. Price is usually a strong indicator of quality and there are some wines which may even confuse a Tastevin. The wines served on Rovos Rail are all from Cape cellars and have been carefully selected from the best on offer.
Labels: African Collage, Cape Town to Dar Es Salaam, Cape Town to George Journey, Pretoria to Cape Town Journey
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