Places to Stay in Bethlehem, Free State, South Africa

Geography

Geography: Bethlehem, in the Eastern Free State, lies charmingly on the banks of the Jordaan River against the backdrop of the Maluti Mountains. The town is situated 35km east of Paul Roux along the N5. Travelling from Gauteng or the Western Cape along the N1, the N5 can be accessed from Winburg, which is about 140km from Bethlehem.

History

Bethlehem was founded in 1860 on the farm Pretoriuskloof, yet was only proclaimed later in 1884. It became a municipality in 1902. The name obviously has its roots in the biblical Bethlehem, which means 'house of bread' in Hebrew. Bethlehem was named as such because of the ease with which the early settlers of the area were able to grow wheat. Bethlehem has links to the South African (Anglo-Boer) War, as it was briefly the seat of the fugitive Free State Republic. Today the town is the largest commercial and industrial centre in the Eastern Free State.

Arts and Culture

Visitors looking to find out more about the history of the town and its culture will find the numerous museums interesting. At Baartman House, exhibits of wagons and horse carriages, period furniture and farm implements give the viewer an idea of the lifestyle of the people who ventured into the hinterland. There is another outstanding collection of exhibits including war memorabilia at the Museum of Cultural History housed in the former Nazareth Mission Church. The town contains some of the finest sandstone buildings in the country and many are now provincial heritage sites.

Science

There are two nature reserves in the area for travellers to visit. Wolhuterskop Nature Reserve is located 5km outside of Bethlehem and is home to a wide variety of animals including large numbers of zebra, rooihartebees, eland, springbuck, impala, black wildebeest and many other antelope species. Why not try game-viewing on horseback for an added bit of excitement? The Pretoriuskloof Nature Reserve is situated along the banks of the Jordaan River, and offers lovely walks amidst willow trees and towering krantzes.

Entertainment

Loch Athlone Dam on the Jordaan River hosts regular regattas, and offers entertainment for the whole family, including a heated swimming pool and a supertube for the kids. There are also agricultural tours which teach visitors more about farming in the Eastern Free State, and once back in town, visitors can relax in one of the many pubs, caf<\#233>s or restaurants.

Did You Know

There is a cairn about 8km from town that was built over many years by thousands of miners from Lesotho who would place a stone on a pile on their way to, and back from, Johannesburg. This, together with a prayer to the ancestors, would ensure protection against accidents at work.