Towns and suburbs

Zoar and Amalienstein

Amaliensfontein of the Berlin Mission Society and Zoar which is situated at the foot of the Sewe weeks Poort.

History of Zoar and Amaliensfontein

Origin of the names

These names are usually referred to in conjunction and seldom separately
Zoar and Amalienstein began as a Mission station. It was founded on the farm Elandsfontein in 1817 by a group of about 200 Germans seeking refuge from religious persecution in their home country. The farm was bought by the Berlin Mission Society to establish a mission station. The Mission received substantial funding from  Baroness Amalie von Stein. The church was completed in 1853 and named Amalienstein for its benefactor Frau Amalie Von Stein.

The name Zoar is named after the town on the Red Sea. The name first meant “insignificance” but according to the story in Genesis “when Lot fled thither” the meaning became “Haven Zoar is situated at the foot of the Seweweeks poort. During the 1700s the pass was used by brandy smugglers who wanted to avoid paying taxes. Some say the pass is so named because it took seven weeks to cross the mountains, but the poort was in fact named after Reverend Zerwick.
Today the area is quiet and rural but there is a move toward promoting tourism. Various cultivars of apples and pears were imported from Germany and the Reverend A. Schmidt won a gold medal for dried fruit at the World Exhibition at Crystal Palace in 1851. Farms and gardens in the area are irrigated from a perennial stream in the Seweweeks Poort in the Klein Swaartberg

The postal code for Zoar and Amaliensfontein is 6655

WEATHER IN ZOAR AND AMALIENSFONTEIN TODAY

All listings in Zoar and Amaliensfontein

 

Things to see and do in Zoar and Amalienstein

  •  Kanna Biodiversity Route,
  • Donkey cart rides offer tourists the opportunity to experience traditional old Karoo farm life.’ Zoar Donkey Taxi’,073 085 5129
  • ‘Land and Sand environmental excursion. (Allicatt Tours) 079 222 4473

Useful Numbers in Zoar and Amaliensfontein

Police: 028 551 8100/ 8106
Traffic department: Ladismth -028 551 8000
Fire: 028 551 1023
Water:028 551 8000
Electricity: Ladismith 028 551 1293
Ambulance: 10177
Post office; Agency 028 561 1349
Library:028 561 1841
Closest hospital;Alan Blythe-Ladismith-028 551 1342
Clinic; Zoar – 028 561 1305 Amalienstein- 028 561 1369
SPCA: 072 277 1056 / 023 1110058 Barrydale
Schools:Amalienstein Lb Primary School, Zoar- 0285611382

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