Pietermaritzburg is the capital and second largest city in the KwaZula-Natal province. Popularly called Maritzburg, and abbreviated to PMB.

Hotels in Pietermaritzburg

Pietermaritzburg was founded in 1838 and is home to a campus of the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Pietermaritzburg is set amidst the forested hills and rolling countryside of the Natal-Midlands and is one of the best preserved Victorian cities in the world. The city is conveniently situated between Durban and Johannesburg. Pietermaritzburg has a population of around 230,000 and an estimated population in the Msunduzi Municipality of between 500,000 and 600,000. It is a major producer of aluminum as well as timber and dairy products.

Pietermaritzburg is a thriving, modern city that has carried its history fully into the present. It plays host to spectacular sports events, annual outdoor festivals and an agricultural show without parallel in South Africa. Hotels, nightclubs restaurants bed & breakfast establishments cater for every tourist need.

The City Hall is the largest all-brick building in the Southern Hemisphere, it contains the largest pipe-organ in the Southern Hemisphere and occasionally hosts concerts. The Tatham Art Gallery across the road houses some fine artwork, including an impressive and ornament clock on the second floor. Down the road you can find the Voortrekker Museum, which celebrates the Great Trek by the Afrikaner people into the interior of South Africa. The KwaZulu-Natal National Botanical Gardens are spectacular and worth a visit.

Pietermaritzburg is also famous for an incident early in the life of Mahatma Gandi. It was here Gandi was thrown of the train when he refused to move from the first-class compartment, to which he had a ticket, to the van compartment at the end of the train; and it was here Gandi developed his unique version of nonviolent resistance in the fight against racial discrimination. Today, a bronze statue of Gandi stands in Church Street, in the city center.

Pietermaritzburg Airport can connect you to all cities in South Africa and many cities around the world via Johannesburg. Durban is only about 50 drive away, and Durban International Airport can also connect you to most South African cities and has a number of direct international flights to major cities in Africa and around the world.   

South Africa Cities 

South African Cities	Tourist Attractions	Game Parks	Activities	South Africa Travel	Safari Lodges
Johannesburg	Kruger National Park	Kruger National Park	Photo Safaris	International Flight
Cape Town	Table Mountain	Kalahari Desert	Golf	Domestic Flight
Durban	Cape Point	Hluhluwe-Umfolozi	Beach Holiday	Car Rental
Port Elizabeth	Wine Routes	Addo Elephant Park	Diving	Train
Pretoria	Garden Route	Marakele Park	Surfing	Bus
Bloemfontein	Cape Whale Route	Pilanesberg Park	Hunting Safaris	Cruises
Pietermaritzburg	Blyde River Canyon	iSimangaliso Wetland	Fishing	Links
Rustenburg	Drakensberg Range	Shamwari Game Reserve	Wine Tasting
East London	Durban Beachfront	Sabi Sands	Hiking
Pietersburg	Soweto	Other Game reserves	Sailing