The Masjied-ul-Aziz Mosque, better known as the Pier Street Mosque sits on a strip of land on the left hand side at the end of the Settlers Freeway. The mosque is one of the only buildings that were left standing when the rest of South End was demolished in the late 1960's / early 1970's. It was so close or this Port Elizabeth landmark also fell under the wheels of the bulldozers. The municipality of the day wanted to construct…
When the first Catholic priest set foot in Port Elizabeth in 1840 (after being shipwrecked in Cape St Francis and having to travel the last 100km to town on horseback), there were only 42 Catholics in the town. In the coming years the Catholic community grew and flourished and in 1861 construction started on St Augustines on land purchased on Castle Hill. The project took place under the watchful eye of Father Thomas Murphy. St.Augustine’s was opened and solemnly consecrated…
The sun shining through the arched gate in front of St Mary's Anglican Cathedral in the city centre.
The Trinity congregation was founded in 1854 when a group of parishioners broke away from St Mary's Church The original church was built at the bottom of Military Road but a growing need for a church by the people on the Hill saw the church moving to its present site next to Havelock Square. The new church was opened for worship on 1 April 1866. In 1897 a deranged woman set fire to the Church and all but the walls…
Havelock Square is one of a couple of public parks around the historic part of Central. Havelock square is a bit different though as it is an unfenced park with a one way paved road going around it. Havelock Square was part of The Grey Institute Grant originally surveyed in 1856, with the oldest houses being built in 1862. The Holy Trinity Church on the eastern side of the square was built in 1866 and re- built in 1897 after…
The area of Central just about the Port Elizabeth CBD used to be called The Hill in the early day. It was because the area is situated at the top of quite a steep hill and it was a struggle to get horse carts, ox wagons and even the tram up the steep bit to the top. This pic is taken from the top of the Donkin Lighthouse looking towards on of the older parts of Central. In the foreground…
Central is the oldest part of Port Elizabeth and in the old days was known as The Hill. There are many historic buildings around Central, but some of the most beautiful old buildings are the stone churches of which there are many littered throughout the area. This one is the St Johns Methodist Church.
Bethelsdorp Village was established in 1803 by Dr Johannes Theodorus Van Der Kemp, a missionary working among the Khoikhoi. Many of the old buildings in Bethelsdorp Village are protected by the National Monuments Act. The Van Der Kemps Memorial Church in the village was first built in 1803 and is generally regarded as the first Congregational church in southern Africa. It was destroyed by fire in 1890, rebuilt in 1903 and again in 1926 and extended in 1985. Behind the…
One of the stone crosses on top of The Hill Presbyterian Church in Central. Happy Easter.