A Farming Village
PRINCE ALBERT
Lying on the northern foothills of the Swartberg range, Prince Albert is a picturesque farming village with an old-world charm. It is renowned for its variety of well-preserved architectural styles, and for its ‘Prince Albert gables’, which date from 1840–60. This unique gable features the outlines of the ‘holbol’ gable with a narrow pediment, while horizontal mouldings connect the outlines of the gables. Other building styles include Karoo houses, with their symmetrical façades and flat roofs, as well as Victorian and Georgian-style buildings.
Also of interest is the historic water mill built in the 1850s. It is the only remaining one of five built in the Prince Albert area during the 19th century. The Fransie Pienaar Museum depicts the natural and cultural history of the area, and has an interesting display on the brief but frantic gold rush which took place following the discovery of alluvial gold in the area in 1890.
Prince Albert was laid out in 1842 on the farm De Queekvaleij which was granted to Zacharias de Beer as a loan farm on 12 February 1762. Originally named Albertsburg, it was renamed after the husband of Queen Victoria in 1845. The arid area is ideal sheep farming country, but Prince Albert is also known for its apricots and figs, as well as for its olives, which are fêted at the annual olive festival held in May.
Source http://www.southafrica.org.za/tour-sa-cango-caves-swartberg.html
