The Voortrekker Museum and the Church of the Vow form part of the Voortrekker museum complex in Pietermaritzburg. The church was built in 1840 in accordance with the Vow which the Voortrekkers made with God in 1838, before the Battle of Blood River-Ncome. They vowed that if they managed to defeat the Zulu army, they would erect a church in His honour, a promise that they fulfilled as soon as they settled in Pietermaritzburg. The church has been a museum since 1912.
Beside it is the thatched two-story house of Andries Pretorius, commander of the Boer forces in the battle. The museum displays mementos of the voortrekkers, including a replica of a trek wagon. In the forecourt are statues of Pieter Retief and Gerrit Maritz, the Boer leaders after whom the town is named.
Opening times:
Mondays - Fridays: 9:00 - 16:00
Saturdays: 9:00 - 13:00
