"The first van der Byl to arrive in the Cape was Gerrit van der Byl in 1668. Over the centuries, the van der Byls became powerful landowners by acquiring estates such as: Vredenberg, Klavervlei, Joostenberg, De Leeuwenhoek, Welmoed, Spier, Fairfield (where the family still resides) and Groote Schuur (the current residence of the president of South Africa and the estate came into the family’s possession from Hester Anne Myburgh. It was later sold to Cecil John Rhodes)" (Wikipedia)
The Spier Estate, nearly 350 years later, is still a stunningly beautiful place to visit. Now a commercial venture the winery and farm still exist as well as an hotel, outdoor restaurant, cheetah farm. The parklike setting invites the visitor to take a leisurely stroll around the gardens. A visit would not be complete without seeing the museum, the orginal farmhouse which has been restored and houses some fantstic art work.
http://maps.google.com/maps/place?cid=14088507879472678107&q=spier+estate...
I took pictures of my visit there a few years ago.
No comments:
Post a Comment