
Dutch Reformed Church

Canola Fields
'Bredasdorp' is a small
Overberg town located in the Western Cape Province in South Africa. It was established around a
Dutch Reformed Church in 1838 and is still strongly founded in its agricultural roots. The town was named after Cape Town's first major, Michiel van Breda, also known as the father of South Africa’s merino sheep industry. Van Breda and Pieter Voltelyn van der Byl, could not agree where the church should be built. As a result two churches were built, and two towns, Bredasdorp and
Napier, were established. Besides the sheep farming, the town also boasts other agricultural activities, including wheat, milk, and
indigenous fynbos cultivation.
Surrounding towns in the Overberg region include
★
Arniston, South Africa, 24km
★
L'Agulhas, 34km (Southernmost settlement in
Africa)
★
Napier, 14km
★
Caledon, 74km
★
Swellendam, 69km
Complete
List_of_cities_and_towns_in_the_Western_Cape
Trivia
★ Bredasdorp is the first town in South Africa which received the suffix of 'dorp',
Afrikaans for small town - compare 'thorp'
English.
★ The Overberg District Council's Head Office in located in Bredasdorp.
★ The Foot of Africa Marathon is (in)famous for being the toughest marathon in South Africa. The event takes place every year in early October and the town turns into a busy hive of activity.
★ The town has an excellent Shipwreck Museum which is well worth a visit in the centre of town.
★ The Merino Statue, located at the entrance to the Bredasdorp/Napier Co-operative, was erected in honour of the merino sheep which brought fame to this area, due to careful breeding by Michiel van Breda on his historic farm, Zoetendals Vallei, early in the 1900s.
★ Audrey Blignault Room: Furnished in honour of Audrey Blignault who was born in Bredasdorp and who enjoys national recognition as a writer.
★ The Heuningberg Nature Reserve is open to the public and amazing views can be enjoyed of this rich fauna and flora area.
★ Situated close to town (approx. 20km) is
Test Flight and Development Centre SAAF
External links
★
Local tourism site
★
Satellite view of Bredasdorp