Melrose House
Photo: Stephantom at English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Melrose House

Pretoria Museum

Melrose House, a grand mansion and museum, is situated opposite Burgers Park in Pretoria, South Africa. Constructed by George Jesse Heys in 1886, the building was named after the renowned Melrose Abbey in Scotland. During the Second Boer War, Lord Roberts commandeered it as headquarters for British forces following the invasion of Pretoria in June 1900. The house served this purpose until May 1902 when the Treaty of Vereeniging was signed there, concluding the war.

The Pretoria City Council acquired Melrose House and its contents in 1967 for restoration purposes. It was opened as a museum by State President Charles Robberts Swart on May 17, 1971, and declared a national heritage site. Today, it exemplifies the architectural transition from Victorian to Edwardian styles with its colourful stained glass windows, richly carpeted floors, ornate ceilings, fireplaces, and valuable porcelain ornaments, many of which belonged to the Heys family. Notably, the museum houses the room where the Treaty of Vereeniging was signed. Annual antique markets are also hosted at this historic site.

Source: Wikipedia

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