Paardekraal Monument

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The Paardekraal Monument is in Krugersdorp, South Africa. It marks the spot where Boers in the South African Republic vowed to win back their independence from Britain on 13 December 1880, before the First Boer War. The vow was made at a stone cairn where people placed stones to show their commitment.

The official monument was built nearby to remember this moment. Construction started in 1890 and it was opened on 16 December 1891. It stands about 60 feet (18 meters) tall, made of white local stone, on the crest of a hill. The building was designed by architect Sytze Wierda and constructed by W. Y. Veitch. Inside the base is a chamber that once held the remains of the original cairn.

Context and later history: In the late 1870s Britain annexed the Transvaal, and the Boers united to resist. In December 1880, thousands of Boers gathered at Paardekraal to declare independence and form a government. The First Boer War followed and ended in 1881 with Boer victory. During the Second Boer War, British soldiers looted the original cairn stones and threw them into the Vaal River. The Paardekraal Monument was designated a heritage site on 17 April 1936.