At the heart of the Free State Province lies the artistic city of Mangaung/ Bloemfontein which is home to some of the country's most fanatical football supporters. The city's open spaces reflect the openness of its people - friendly, warm and quietly dignified. The city's citizens are a unique blend of rural tranquility and vibrant city life.
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Mangaung/Bloemfontein is the judicial capital of South Africa and the provincial capital of the Free State Province.
The Appeal Court,which is the highest court in South Africa, is also found in the city. Mangaung literally means "Place of the Cheetahs" in SeSotho, which is one of South Africa's 11 official languages. On the other hand, Bloemfontein literally means 'fountain of flowers' in Dutch
The regal stinkwood paneled courtroom was completed in 1929. The city hall is a magnificent sandstone building built by Sir Gordon Leith and the city has an inner game reserve. The Free State is bordered by four of South Africa's nine provinces and the country of Lesotho. The city has a wealth of culture and history, reflected by its rich architectural heritage, numerous museums and monuments.
The Golden Gate National Park in the eastern Free State has sandstone cliffs, which illuminate in gold hues when the sun strikes the exposed cliffs. The Vredefort Dome is the oldest impact crater in the world, dating back 2,023 million years and the expansive Gariep Dam is a local favourite among the landlocked people of the Free State and Gauteng.
