Bloemfontein is the capital City of the Free State Province, previously known as the Orange Free State. The City is known as the 'City of Roses', or Manguang, 'the place of cheetahs' and the landscape is predominantly dry grassland. Bloemfontein is currently the Judicial Capital of South Africa, and the seat of the Supreme Court of Appeal. The City is also the Place of Birth of John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, the World renowned Philologist, author, mythmaker.
Place record
Bloemfontein, Capital City of the Free State Province
- Coordinates
- 26.1530, -29.1190
- Updated
- 20 Jul 2026
Location Map
Bloemfontein, Capital City of the Free State Province
How we know this
- 01Abrahm, S. The history of Bloemfontein and surroundings areas 1846-1996, with special reference to the Anglo-Boer War of 1899-1902. University of the Free State. MA Degree.
- 02Anon. (unknown) ‘Eunice Our School High School’ from homepage of Eunice High School website [online] Available at: www.eunice.co.za [Accessed 1 October 2010]
- 03Anon. (unknown) ‘Grey College: History’ from Grey College website [online] Available at: www.gc.co.za [Accessed 1 October 2010]
- 04Botes, M.(n.d). Bloemfontein Gedurende die bewind van President F.W Reitz, 1889-1895: 'n KultuurhistorieseStudie. Translated from Afrikaans by Varushka Jardine. (unpublished).
- 05Botes, S.M. (1993) Van Residensie tot Presidensie: ‘n kultuurhistoriese studie van ampswonings in Bloemfontein, 1846-1900. M.A.-dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 1993.
- 06Frescura, F (2002) The Post offices of the Cape of Good Hope, 1792-1910. Pretoria: The Archetype Press.
- 07Giliomee. H, Mbenga. M (2007) New History of South Africa. Tafelberg Publishers. South Africa.
- 08Groenewald, A.C. (1989) Die sosiale lewensomstandighede in Bloemfontein, 1896-1899. M.A.-dissertation, University of the Orange Free State, Bloemfontein, May 1989.
- 09Janse van Rensburg, P.J.N. (1996) ‘Só het stad se geriewe gegroei’, Supplement from Die Volksblad, 28 March 1996, p. 27.
- 10Janse van Rensburg, P.J.N. “Uitdaging van £10 500 om biljarttafel uitgespook”, the republican supplement to Die Volksblad, February 1954, p. 49.
- 11Key figures in Bloemfontein.[online].Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:People_from_Bloemfontein.[Accessed January2011].
- 12Lamont-Hussey Observatory [online] Available at: www.assabfn.co.za [Accessed 12 July 2010]
- 13Mountain. A (2003) The First People of the Cape. David Philip Publishers. South Africa.
- 14Potgieter, J. (eds) et al.(1970), Standard Encyclopaedia of Southern Africa. Vols :1,3,4,5,7. NationaleBoekhandel. London.
- 15Reader’s Digest (1988) Illustrated History of Southern Africa. The Real Story. Reader’s Digest. South Africa.
- 16SA Places Website. Bloemfontein [online], available at: www.places.co.za [accessed April 2010]
- 17Schoeman, K. (1980) Bloemfontein: Die Ontstaan van ‘n Stad, 1846-1946. Cape Town: Human and Rousseau (translated extract)
- 18South African Timeline from Wikipedia [online]. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/timeline_of_south_african_history. [Accessed December 2010].
- 19Van der Bank, D.A. (1993) Die stryd om die behoud van die identiteit van die Afrikaner in die Oranjerivierkolonie, 1902-1910. Ph.D.-dissertation, University of the Orange Free State, Bloemfontein, June 1993.
- 20Van der Walt, K.S. (1974) Die Nederduits-Gereformeerde Kerk en die onderwys van blankes in die Oranje-Vrystaat tot 1900: ’n prinsipieel-historiese studie M.Ed.-dissertation, University of the Orange Free State, Bloemfontein, January 1974.
- 21Venter, I.S.J. (1962) ‘Die Bloemfonteinse Bewaarskool: die eerste staatsondersteunde kindertuin in die republiek van die Oranje-Vrystaat’, Mededelings van die Universiteit van Suid-Afrika C38, Pretoria, 1962, pp. 1-35 http://www.tolkienlibrary.com/abouttolkien.htm.
Last updated · 20 Jul 2026
South African History Online. (2011, March 30). Bloemfontein, Capital City of the Free State Province. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/nr/ref/P-0059160
South African History Online (2011) 'Bloemfontein, Capital City of the Free State Province', South African History Online, 30 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/nr/ref/P-0059160 (Accessed: 21 July 2026).
South African History Online, Bloemfontein, Capital City of the Free State Province [website], https://sahistory.org.za/nr/ref/P-0059160, (accessed 21 July 2026).
"Bloemfontein, Capital City of the Free State Province." South African History Online, 30 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/nr/ref/P-0059160. Accessed 21 July 2026.
South African History Online. "Bloemfontein, Capital City of the Free State Province." South African History Online. March 30, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/nr/ref/P-0059160.
Further reading
The formation of the SANNC/ANC
Anti-Pass Campaign
All African Convention, 1958
The 1913 Women’s anti-pass campaign in the Orange Free State
Prehistory of the Bloemfontein area
Colonial history of Bloemfontein
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