October 2026 I 2
On the Windows and Walls of our Beloved Mother Church The imposing church building at the top of the oak-lined Church Street in Stellenbosch is a world-renowned sight. It's a popular object for professional and tourist photographers, and many a painter has copied this image onto their canvas.
The congregation is the second oldest in South Africa, after the Groote Kerk in Cape Town, and it was founded in 7686. The wall around it is in the historic Stellen bosch style with its peculiar V-shaped top, and was built in 7736. The current build ing, with its proud clock tower, which helped ensure its iconic status as a Neo-Gothic building, was constructed in 7864. But don't believe everything about this church is centuries old. It's not exactly Barcelona's Sagrada Familia, but the work on this building never completely ended. The church's windows are the result of the most recent of centuries of projects on and around the building, and they deserve special mention for many
reasons. What makes it so exceptional is the material from which it was made. The windows consist of thick concrete panels, filled in with solid pieces of coloured glass to form the pictures. The glass fractures are between two and five centimetres thick. This window-making technique was developed in France after the Second World War. Many churches and public buildings were either destroyed or substantially damaged during the war, and had to be either rebuilt or extensively restored. In general, windows seldom survived the bombings. In the 7960s, the Church began to consider how to protect and preserve the historic building better. Certain aspects
needed urgent attention, because - as the citizens of Stellenbosch will tell you - the wet and stormy winters are a challenge for the older buildings. Without shutters, the church's wooden-frame windows took a beating. It was a constant task to keep the windows waterproof. The frames had to be replaced in their entirety on a regular basis. This state of affairs couldn't contin ue, and the church decided a new course of action was called for. And that is when the artist Leo Theron was called in. He had studied in Chartres in France, where he also learned how to make these exceptional window panels. He was instructed to redesign all the windows, after which orders were placed at the workshops in France. More than 50 years ago, in the early 7970s, the first window was replaced with a concrete panel. But it was a long, expensive and arduous process. The last new window was only fitted in 2078. So we can safely say that the last one was rounded off in 2079, with which the window project was finally concluded. The Mother Church, as she stands there today, represents the story of Stellen bosch. First came the planting of the church in the 7680s through which, in conjunction with the opening of a Magis trates Court, Stellenbosch was promoted from a hamlet to a fully fledged town... and the Cape officially became a colony. In the 7700s, the stylistic wall was erected, as many properties had at the time. By the 7800s, the building was extended toward the street to produce the current, bigger building. And in the 20th and 21st centu ries, the window project followed. So place yourself in more than 300 years
of history, block traffic, and take a selfie in front of the church. It is guaranteed to stand the test ohime as a special sight.
Text: Eduan A.J. Naude Images: Toyota Stellenbos ch Woordfees, Wikipedia Lees die Afrikaanse weergawe van die berig op ons webwerf
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Woordfees is hier, en dit is hoog tyd vir die kunste! Kom kuier hierdie feestyd by die Rupert Museum in Stellentialaan vir ’n rustige wegbreek uit die dorp se gewoel. Verken verskeie uitstallings, maak ’n draai by die Café, of vertoef in die gesellige biblioteek
Tans vertoon die museum Horison – land meets sky, ’n uitstalling wat die horison ondersoek as meer as net ’n lyn waar die hemel en aarde ontmoet. Wandel tussen die werke van ’n diverse groep internasionale en plaaslike kunstenaars, waaronder Giacomo Balla (1871-1958), Victor Vasarely (1906-1997), Keith Dietrich (b1950), Berenice Michelow (1930-2025) en Georgina Ormiston (1903-1967), om maar net ’n paar te noem. Ook op uitstalling is ’n toonbeeld van die Suid-Afrikaans landskapgenre; die Johannesburg Stasiepanele deur JH Pierneef, op bruikleen van die TRANSNET-stigting. Maak gerus ook ’n draai in Gallery 3, waar die kollig in die Artist Spotlight-reeks val op werke van Nita Spilhaus (1878-1967) en haar vriendekring van Kaapse Impressioniste.
Die museum is van Dinsdag tot Vrydag tussen 10:00 en 17:00 oop, en op Saterdae en Sondae tot 16:00. Toegang is gratis. Besoek rupertmuseum.org vir meer inligting, of skakel 021 888 3344.
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Dr Veenstra provides comprehensive care for patients with a broad spectrum of digestive health conditions. His special interests include inflammatory bowel disease, gastrointestinal malignancy screening and surveillance, liver disease, pancreaticobiliary disorders and therapeutic endoscopy. He is committed to delivering evidence-based, patient-centred care while combining careful clinical assessment with the latest advances in diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy. Known for his thoughtful and collaborative approach, Dr Veenstra believes in empowering patients through clear communication and shared decision-making. He is dedicated to providing compassionate, evidence-based care while helping patients achieve the best possible digestive health outcomes, combining analytical problem-solving with hands-on procedural expertise.
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CONTACT DETAILS Suite G2, Ground Floor Mediclinic Stellenbosch 1 Elsie du Toit Drive Stellenbosch 7600 T 021 891 3642 reception@ffbirkholtz.co.za
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