The history of Church Street

Since the demise of apartheid, there has been an overhaul of the names of various towns and streets in our country.

In Pietermaritzburg, the names of streets have been changed to honour fallen struggle icons and people who were responsible for shaping the new democratic South Africa.

One street name that has not been changed and has stood the test of time is Church Street. Church Street has been in existence since the establishment of Pietermaritzburg in 1838 and has been an integral part of the city ever since. It is a major road in the city and provides access to the northern areas and to the N3 highway.

The street is approximately four kilometres in length and runs through the heart of the city. It is home to many iconic and important monuments and standout pieces of architecture.

Over the years, Church Street has become synonymous with the CBD and offers wider access to the rest of the city. It has an affluent market of retail shops that have been around for decades and is also the home of various banks located inside vintage-styled buildings.

Church Street is also home to various war monuments which commemorate wars such as World War 1 and World War 11 as well as a monument that honours the 134 fallen soldiers who fought in the South African War.

The Church Street precinct is the site of the Gandhi Monument, an iconic piece of history that honours the late pioneer of nonviolent protests, Mahatma Gandhi. The statue was unveiled in 1993 on the centenary anniversary of Gandhi being ejected from a train and it has stood in its spot in Church Street for almost 20 years.

The street is also home to the St Peter’s Presbyterian Church. The church was built in 1852 and was completed in 1854. It is unfortunately no longer in use. The church is one of the oldest buildings in Pietermaritzburg, being around for 169 years.

Church Street will always be an iconic street in the history and heritage of Pietermaritzburg.