Pretoria grew around the diminutive Church Square, which is surrounded by an array of impressive buildings that were funded by the discovery of gold in 1886; it makes sense that a walking tour start here. In the center of Church Square is Anton van Wouw's statue of a dour Paul Kruger, facing north (no doubt away from the British). Kruger was proclaimed head of the ZAR (Zuid Afrikaanse Republiek) in the Square no less than four times. The house museum of the sculptor -- who between 1890 and 1930 was responsible for most of the state-funded sculptures of cheerless Afrikaner leaders -- is at 299 Clark St., Brooklyn (tel. 012/460-7422; Mon-Fri 10am-4pm; free admission).

After visiting the tourism office, located in the 1896 Netherlands Bank Building, pop in at neighboring Café Riche (tel. 012/328-3173; 2 Church Sq.), Pretoria's oldest cafe.

On the southwest corner is the Old Raadsaal, completed in 1891; directly opposite are the Palace of Justice, on the northwest corner, and the original South African Reserve Bank (like the Union Buildings, designed by Herbert Baker). East of this are a number of banks; Cuthberts Corner, dating back to 1904 when George Heys (of Melrose House) used to run his coaching operation from here; and the neoclassical Standard Bank, built in 1935.

West of the Square, on Church Street, is Kruger House and Heroes Acre, the burial place for a number of historical figures. Moving east down Church Street you'll come across Strijdom Square, where the ugly bust of even uglier former prime minister J. G. Strijdom, a staunch supporter of white rule in the 1950s, came tumbling down on May 31, 2001, exactly 40 years after South Africa was declared a republic. (This name has come to have a more sinister connotation since 1993, when namesake Barend Strijdom opened fire here on random black targets. Despite showing no remorse, he was subsequently released under political amnesty.)

Five blocks north of Church Square, along Paul Kruger Street, is Boom Street; turn right here for the zoo or left to reach Marabastad, where Pretoria's Indian community trades. Alternatively, move south down Paul Kruger to the Transvaal Museum, opposite City Hall -- the two statues outside, incidentally, are of Marthinus and Andries Pretorius, the Trekker after whom Pretoria was named. Two blocks west of here, on Schubart Street, is African Window, Pretoria's modern cultural history museum. Or go south for 2 blocks from the Transvaal, turn left onto Jacob Mare, to find Melrose House, opposite Burgers Park.