Statue of Nelson Mandela, Pretoria

Statue of Nelson Mandela, Pretoria

The Nelson Mandela statue commemorates the legacy of the former President of South Africa and anti-apartheid activist. Standing at a towering height of 9 meters, it was unveiled on December 16, 2013, marking the end of the official mourning period following Mandela's passing on December 5.

Crafted from bronze and weighing approximately 3.5 tonnes, this statue is the tallest figurative depiction of Mandela, spanning 8 meters from fingertip to fingertip. The intricate casting process involved 147 pieces produced at multiple foundries, with final assembly conducted in Cape Town. The statue occupies the former location of J.B.M. Hertzog's statue, the former Prime Minister of South Africa, which was relocated in November 2013.

An interesting anecdote surrounds the discovery of a small rabbit nestled in the statue's right ear, added by the artists as a signature of sorts, symbolizing the haste with which the sculpture was created. Despite controversy, the Department of Arts and Culture eventually had the rabbit removed.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Pretoria. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Statue of Nelson Mandela on Map

Sight Name: Statue of Nelson Mandela
Sight Location: Pretoria, South Africa (See walking tours in Pretoria)
Sight Type: Statue/Public Art

Walking Tours in Pretoria, South Africa

Create Your Own Walk in Pretoria

Create Your Own Walk in Pretoria

Creating your own self-guided walk in Pretoria is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Pretoria Landmarks Walking Tour

Pretoria Landmarks Walking Tour

Pretoria is called South Africa in miniature. The variety of its landmarks represent the variety of the whole country. The following attractions are the most representative in this marvelous city. Take this tour to view the parks, monuments, government buildings, and other landmarks of Pretoria.

Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 7.4 Km or 4.6 Miles
Pretoria Introduction Walking Tour

Pretoria Introduction Walking Tour

Pretoria, one of South Africa's three capitals (the other two being: Cape Town – legislative, and Bloemfontein – judicial), is commonly regarded as “Jacaranda City” for the abundance of jacaranda trees. The history of Pretoria is rich in events closely associated with the history of the South African Republic, some of which are reflected in a number of local attractions, such as the...  view more

Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 5.8 Km or 3.6 Miles