The capital of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg lies just inland from Durban in South Africa’s east. It is popularly known as Maritzburg and called uMgungundlovu in Zulu, serving as an important industrial hub in the country through its production of timber, dairy and aluminium.

Pietermaritzburg is home to the KwaZulu-Natal Museum which is one of South Africa’s oldest museums and explores the prehistory and cultural history of the region. Its exhibits include archaeological finds, local fauna and European settler history, as well as one of the most important collections of Zulu artefacts in the world. Also of note is the Tatham Art Gallery, one of South Africa’s most prominent art museums, which boasts works from across KwaZulu-Natal and international pieces from the 18th to 20th centuries. It lies directly opposite the city’s High Court and elaborate Pietermaritzburg City Hall which dates to the late 19th century and was at the time of construction the largest brick building in the Southern Hemisphere. A bronze statue of Mahatma Gandhi stands in the city centre in recognition of a night he spent at the Pietermaritzburg Station after being thrown off a train for refusing to leave the first-class carriage. It is believed this event hardened his resolve to stay in South Africa and fight racial discrimination against Indians. To the west of the city centre sprawls the magnificent KwaZulu-Natal National Botanical Garden which was established in 1874 and features an impressive collection of plants from across South Africa.

The city is served by its own airport, the Pietermaritzburg Airport, which has regular flights to destinations across South Africa. Trains depart from Pietermaritzburg and Victoria stations along the Johannesburg-Durban route, while public buses and share-taxi vans are the main means of getting around the city itself.

Prior to European arrival in South Africa, the area that is now Pietermaritzburg was known as UmGungundlovu within the Zulu Empire, which translates as “Place of the Elephant”. The city was founded by the pioneering Voortrekkers after they defeated Zulu attackers at the Battle of Blood River in 1838. It became the capital of the Boer Republic of Natalia before being annexed by Britain in 1843 and functioning as the administrative seat of their Natal Colony.