Union Buildings
Johannesburg
At a glance
The Union Buildings of South Africa provide the official seat for the national government. Located in Tshwane they house the offices of the president and also act as a South African national monument.
The buildings and amphitheatre are an easily recognisable landmark for most South Africans. The semi-circular structure was designed by Sir Herbert Baker and took more than three years to build. It measures 285m long and is divided into three sections - left offices, amphitheatre and right offices - that are each 95m in length. The lush gardens surrounding the buildings are a popular picnic venue, and the structure itself is considered an architectural masterpiece.
The attractively terraced gardens are a reminder of South Africa's past, providing a beautiful backdrop to various monuments, including one for the first Prime Minster of South Africa, General Louis Botha.
The Union Buildings reflect South Africa's transition into democracy, poignantly remembered for the inauguration of Nelson Mandela beamed around the world.
