Pretoria’s Union Buildings, the official seat of the national government, house the offices of the South African president and are located atop the Meintjieskop in the Arcadia suburb of Tshwane. An important South African heritage site, the impressive building is surrounded by pretty terraced gardens that offer panoramic views over the city.

The Union Buildings are one of the most recognisable and impressive heritage landmarks in Tshwane. The 285 metre long sandstone building was designed by Sir Herbert Baker in 1910 to mark the Union of South Africa. The neo-classical design of the semi-circular building reflects the British imperial tastes of the time and the site itself, high on a central ridge looking out over the city, was chosen thanks to its similarity to the location of the acropolis in Athens. The two wings of the building and their twin domed towers are said to represent the Afrikaans and English languages, joined together by a central curved courtyard, symbolic of the union of the communities following years of war.