Afrikaans Language Monument:

The intriguing Afrikaans Language Monument was inaugurated on 10 October 1975 during the centenary of the founding of "Die Genootskap van Regte Afrikaners" (Society of true Afrikaners) in Paarl and represents the influence of Paarl residents on the development of the Afrikaans language. The eventual design was dictated by the site and inspired by the works of two great Afrikaans writers, CJ Langenhoven and NP van Wyk Louw.

Afrikaans Language Museum, Gideon Malherbe House:

The house is named after a well-known wine farmer, who lived there for more than 60 years. Gideon Malherbe was one of the founders of Die Genootskap van Regte Afrikaners, which was founded at his invitation in this house on 17 August 1875. This was the first organized attempt to have Afrikaans recognized as an official language. Part of the attempt was the launching of a newspaper, De Patriot. The press was declared a national monument in 1969 and forms the focal point of the informative exhibition in the building, depicting the history of the origin of Afrikaans.

Jan Phillips Mountain Drive:

The 11 km motor road follows the eastern slope of Paarl Mountain towards the Victoria Dam. The Paarl Municipality named it after a member of a well-known family of wagon-builders of Paarl who contributed financially to the building of the road in 1928. Attractions along the way: Fishing, Millstream Picnic Area and the Wildflower Reserve, summit of Paarl Rock, base of Bretagne and Gordon Rock. There is a chain to help climbers up the final incline. The view is unforgettable.

Paarlberg (Paarl Mountain) was declared a national monument in October 1963. Various hiking trails bring you to its remarkable fauna and flora.

Laborie Homestead and Wine Cellar:

The farm Laborie was granted to the Huguenot Jean Taillefert in 1691. In 1774 Laborie and the adjoining farm, Picardie, passed into the possession of Hendrik Louw, who probably erected the main homestead. The date 1800 appears on the front gable. On 4 October 1883 Tobias Louw and his wife entertained President Kruger of the ZAR on this farm.

La Concorde:

This is one of the five farms in the present Paarl municipal area, which in 1688 were granted to Huguenots by Simon van der Stel. The farm was allocated to Huguenot Gabriël le Roux. The KWV bought the farm from a certain Mr Van der Spuy in 1942 and the present building, completed in 1956, houses the KWV headquarters.

Nancy:

The land was granted to Hendrik August Enslin in 1811. From the homestead surrounded by vineyards, there is a spectacular view over the Paarl Valley with the mountains in the background. It also offers a view of the Paarl Rock massif, which in rainy weather shines like a pearl.

Rosenfontein:

Situated at 113 Main Street, Rosenfontein is a charming little house of late Georgian design and probably dates from the middle of the 19th century. The house was declared a national monument in 1978 and presently houses a gourmet restaurant.

Rozenburg at 2 Rozenburg Street:

The two morgen of land on which the house stands were granted in 1777 to the burgher Piet Joncker to practice his trade as shoemaker. The H-shaped house dates from before 1815, and there are many remains of early 19th century construction. It remains one of the most imposing late-Georgian houses in Paarl. It also has a few Victorian elements and was declared a national monument in 1983.

106 - 108 Main Street:

These erven were part of an allocation of land, known as De Vrede, made in 1781 to Jacobus Johannes Kriegel. The house is a good example of mid-19th century architecture and makes an important contribution to Main Street.

127 Main Street:

This L-shaped house bears the date 1837 on the truncated gable, but was later altered with some Victorian additions. The house was declared a national monument in 1982.

Het Gesticht, 112 Main Street:

Just south of the Huguenot Church (Strooidakkerk), on the mountain side of Main Street and literally in the shade of an old oak tree is a whitewashed building - the former slave church. Mission work in Paarl was undertaken as early as the beginning of the 19th century. The church building is the fourth oldest surviving church building in South Africa and was declared a national monument in 1970.

Klein Vredenburg, 155 Main Street:

The house forms part of an exceptional building complex. The property was originally part of a farm, which came into the possession of Hendrik Greeff in 1817. It was transferred to Isaac Pieter de Villiers in 1823. Alterations were executed remarkably successfully, lending a well balanced, typically late-Georgian character to the house. It was declared a national monument in 1979 and is a private home not open to the public without prior appointment.

De Jongh Lane:

In De Jongh Lane, adjacent to the Huguenot Church, are three attractive examples of South Africa’s architectural heritage. Together they form a beautiful visual complement to the historic Huguenot Church and Church Square. Hoffman Street, which connects De Jongh Lane with Main Street, was named after a medical doctor who lived on the corner of Main and Hoffman Streets. He also ran a pharmacy on the site.

7 De Jongh Lane:

Paul Roux built this house in 1818. It has an unusual front gable, with a kind of holbol (concave-convex) cap, which is very rare. On the gable are pineapple motifs, which are common in the Wellington-, Tulbagh- and Ceres areas. It was declared a national monument in 1979 and is not open to the public.

9 De Jongh Lane:

This house, with its thatched roof and asymmetrical façade, dates from approximately the middle of the 19th century. It was declared a national monument in 1981 and is not open to the public. 10 De Jongh Lane:

Abraham De Clercq, who had shortly before emigrated from Holland, probably built the H-shaped house in 1801. In 1973 he married Johanna de Villiers. The front gable carries the inscription "Myn hoop vervuld naa lang geduld" (My hope fulfilled after long patience). The Victorian alterations do not detract from the Cape-Dutch character of the house. It became a national monument in 1979.

Huguenot Church:

The Huguenot Church, also known as the "Strooidakkerk", was completed in 1805 by the Rev. JP Serurier and owes its name to the fine thatched roof. It is the oldest church building in the country after the Groote Kerk in Cape Town. After the first little church near Babylonstoren became derelict, a new church was erected in 1771 in Paarl, on the site next to the present church building. After eight years the growing congregation decided to have a new church built. In 1800 Major Georg Conrad Kuchler, a military engineer and former chief of the Cape Artillery, started the construction of what has come to be known as the Huguenot Church (Strooidakkerk). It became a national monument in 1966.

Zederberg Square:

This square forms part of the historic core of Paarl. Surrounding the square are several houses with some of the most attractive examples of Victorian wood-and-cast-iron decoration in the country.

Zederberg House:

Dr JR Zederberg, who was district surgeon of Paarl for 33 years, built the double-storey house in 1850. It’s regarded as one of the best examples of early-Victorian town houses in the Western Cape.

2 Zederberg Square:

This house was originally an H-shaped Cape-Dutch house and was transformed to its present Victorian character at the end of the 19th century. It was declared a national monument in 1982.

4 & 5 Zederberg Square:

These double-storied terrace houses date from the mid- and late 19th century respectively and show interesting verandah decorations made of wood and cast iron. They became national monuments in 1981.

Zionskerk:

When Het Gesticht became too small for the Zionsgemeente (Congregation of Zion), a new church building was erected in 1842, owing to the zeal of the Rev George Barker, minister of the congregation. The Gothic Revival Styled building was inaugurated in 1842 and was known as the Zionskapel (Chapel of Zion). The congregation moved to Paarl-East in 1977, where a new church building was built. The Zionskapel was restored and sold to the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk, which is using it as a church.

De Oude Woning, Main Street:

The land on which this restored house is situated was granted in 1784 to Stephanus Petrus Jordaan, who ran a butchery there. The H-shaped house with its concave-convex front gable and straight gables was built in 1784. Much of the original 19th century woodwork - including the yellowwood ceilings, door and a few windows - has survived.

Vergenoegd and the Waterfall, 188 Main Street:

The land on which the building and well are situated was part of the farm Pontak that was granted to Jan Labuschagne in 1723. By 1809 the property had been divided in three. It was transferred to Gerrit Nieuwoudt in 1818. In this transfer, the historic well was already mentioned. In 1843 it was transferred to JM Enslin. The magistrate of Paarl, Major H Piers, rented the building from Mr Enslin. At the time the well on the property became available for general use. Apart from this well, there where two similar sources of water in Paarl, but this is the only one that survived. Vergenoegd and the well were declared national monuments in 1966.

Gymnasium Primary School:

On 5 July 1831 the Rev Gottlieb Wilhelm Antonie van der Lingen was confirmed as minister in Paarl. After it was finally decided in 1857 to establish the Theological Seminary in Stellenbosch, the Reverend decided in 1857 to found a church school where boys could be prepared for the Theological Seminary or for further study in Europe. Instruction was to be in Dutch. On 12 January 1858 the school was opened. The Egyptian-style architecture and decorations were intended to be symbolic. One of the appointed teachers was Arnoldis Pannevis, who arrived in South Africa from Holland in 1866 and played an important part in the First Language Monument. After the founding of the Noorder-Paarl congregation in 1875, with the Rev SJ du Toit as minister, church services of the new congregation were held in the Gymnasium. The left wing of the school was used as parsonage. Gymnasium produced several well-known South Africans, amongst them the first professor of Afrikaans in South Africa, Prof DF Malherbe, who taught at the University College of the OFS, and Prof JJ Smith, the first professor in Afrikaans at the University of Stellenbosch. The Gymnasium was declared a national monument in 1968 and still serves as a school.

Toringkerk (Steeple Church), Main Street:

A second Dutch Reformed congregation was founded in Paarl in 1875. Initially its services were held in the Gymnasium. Later a little church was built where President Kruger and Piet Joubert attended a church service on 16 May 1880.

The impressive church with its 57m-high steeple was designed by the Cape Town firm Sherwood, Pitts & Wood, and erected between 1904 and 1907. Andrew Murray of Wellington laid the foundation stone. On 6 March the church was officially inaugurated. The church building and seven tombs in the grounds were declared national monuments in 1982.

During 1699 the first Water Mill, Main Street was put to use.

Toringkerk (Tower Church)

This church today houses the Oude Pastorie Museum, with displays of Cape Dutch furniture and silver copperware.

Paarl Museum: