Editorial on Lydenburg

Lydenburg attractions:

Lydenburg is a town abuzz with new developments and the atmosphere is charged with excitement and interest. Lydenburg is situated at the foothills of the famous Long Tom Pass and surrounded by the Steenkampsberg and Mauchsberg mountain ranges.

Lydenburg experiences a climate typical of the Mpumalanga middleveld with cold nights and warm days. Its central location - only 290kms from Pretoria - makes it the ideal stopover to explore not only the well known Kruger National Park, but also the many new routes which are ideal for adventure lovers and particularly 4x4 trail enthusiasts.

Painters, wood carvers, stained glass artists and botanical sketch artists are just some of the talented creatives residing in Lydenburg. An annual exhibition is held in the Civic centre to display and market their wares which attracts tourists from all over the world seeking to pick up their own piece of art to display back home.

A great attraction in the area is the Lydenburg Waterfall - consisting of 3 stunning waterfalls. It is regarded as one of the most spectacular waterfalls in Mpumalanga and definitely an enchanting sight to see. Two of the falls lie next to each other and plunge into a deep pool which feeds the third. It’s a mesmerizing sight that draws a continuous flow of people every day. Other attractions in Lydenburg include historic memorials, nature reserves and other splendid sights and even some marvellous hidden fishing spots.

Lydenburg history:

The town of Lydenburg, in Mpumalanga Province, was founded in 1850 by the company of Voortrekker leader Andries Potgieter who had abandoned their first settlement – Ohrigstad.It was one the capital of its own independent republic, and still boasts some of the best preserved Zuid Afrikaanse and old Transvaal architecture in the country.Lydenburg, which means “place of suffering” was founded by these pioneering Voortrekkers fleeing malaria and the debilitating heat of lower lying areas in the early 1800’s.But, although Lydenburg was healthier, marauding Bapedi armies under the leadership of Kgosi Sekhukhune fought a series of bloody pitched battles with the settles, monuments to which can still be seen in the area.

Lydenburg is an important centre for farming, and is also home of one of Mpumalanga’s best museums detailing the mysterious history of the famed Lydenburg Heads , which are unique pottery masks made by a vanished people thousands of years ago, and believed to have served a ritual or religious purpose.Six of the heads are human and the seventh is some kind of animal replica.They were found in the valley of the Sterkspruit area.