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Union Buildings
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{{Short description|Seat of the South African Government}} {{About|the buildings in Pretoria, South Africa|similar uses|Union Building (disambiguation){{!}}Union Building}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}} {{EngvarB|date=August 2014}} {{Infobox building |name = Union Buildings |image = Uniegebou.jpg |caption = The Union Buildings viewed from the Gardens, in the foreground is the equestrian statue of General [[Louis Botha]]. |location_city =[[Meintjieskop]], [[Arcadia, Pretoria]] |location_country = [[South Africa]] |pushpin_map = South Africa Pretoria#South Africa Gauteng#South Africa#Africa |architect = [[Sir Herbert Baker]] |client ={{flagu|South Africa|1994}} |construction_start_date = {{start date and age|1910|11|1|df=y}} |completion_date={{Start date and age|1913|df=yes}} |style=[[Neoclassical architecture|Neoclassicism]] of [[Italian Renaissance]], with [[Cape Dutch architecture|Cape Dutch]] and [[Edwardian architecture|Edwardian style]] detail. |size= 285m (length) 100m (width)<ref>From back of amphitheatre to front</ref> 60m (height)<ref>From street level to top of towers</ref> | embedded = {{Designation list |embed = yes |designation1 = World Heritage Site |designation1_offname = [[List of World Heritage Sites in South Africa|Human Rights, Liberation and Reconciliation: Nelson Mandela Legacy Sites]] |designation1_date = 2024 [[List of World Heritage Sites by year of inscription#2024 (46th session)|(46th session)]] |designation1_number = [https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1676/ 1676] }} }} The '''Union Buildings''' ({{langx|af|Uniegebou}}) form the official seat of the [[South African Government]] and also house the offices of the [[President of South Africa]]. The imposing buildings are located in [[Pretoria]], atop [[Meintjieskop|Meintjeskop]] at the northern end of [[Arcadia, Pretoria|Arcadia]], close to historic [[Church Square, Pretoria|Church Square]]. The large gardens of the Buildings are nestled between Government Avenue, Vermeulen Street East, Church Street, the [[R104 (South Africa)|R104]] and Blackwood Street. Fairview Avenue is a closed road through which only officials can enter the Union Buildings.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Union Buildings |url=https://www.google.com/maps?client=safari&rls=en&q=union+buildings&oe=UTF-8&um=1&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=il&tbo=0 |website=Google Maps |access-date=9 February 2022 |archive-date=9 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220209182046/https://www.google.com/maps?client=safari&rls=en&q=union+buildings&oe=UTF-8&um=1&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=il&tbo=0 |url-status=live }}</ref> Though not in the centre of Pretoria, the Union Buildings occupy the highest point of Pretoria, and constitute a [[National heritage sites (South Africa)|South African national heritage site]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Union Buildings Meintjieskop Pretoria |url=http://196.35.231.29/sahra/HeritageSitesDetail.aspx?id=29886 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110529151317/http://196.35.231.29/sahra/HeritageSitesDetail.aspx?id=29886 |archive-date=29 May 2011 |access-date=27 February 2009 |website=South African Heritage Resources Agency}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=16 December 2013 |title=Union Buildings Declared a National Heritage Site |work=Eyewitness News |url=http://ewn.co.za/2013/12/15/nion-Buildings-declared-a-national-heritage-site |access-date=16 December 2013 |archive-date=11 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180711195413/http://ewn.co.za/2013/12/15/nion-Buildings-declared-a-national-heritage-site |url-status=live }}</ref> The Buildings are one of the centres of political life in South Africa; "The Buildings" and "Arcadia" have become [[metonymy|metonyms]] for the South African government. It has become an iconic landmark of Pretoria and South Africa in general, and is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city and an emblem of democracy. The Buildings are the location of presidential inaugurations.
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