Cost £7 500 (in 1892) Floor count 3 excluding tower Construction started 1892 | Top floor Tower Completed 1903 Renovated 1989 | |
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Known for Tourism Destination, Haunted House Similar Melrose House, National Zoological Gardens, Ou Raadsaal, Church Square - Pretoria, Gold Reef City | ||
Erasmus Castle/ Erasmus Kasteel (Afrikaans) also known as "Die Spookhuis" or "The Haunted House", is an imposing mansion on a hill in the Erasmuskloof suburb of Pretoria, South Africa. It is a very imposing and unique landmark in the city and rumours of ghosts and supernatural encounters in and around the residence are plentiful. The house and its grounds are privately owned by Armscor, however public tours and cultural gatherings can be arranged. Paranormal activity includes lit windows in the uninhabited mansion, and hearing moans at night.
Contents
19th Century
By the early 20th century the house had fallen into disrepair and ruin.
20th Century
In the late 1960s the Erasmus heirs were compelled to sell the farm "Garsfontein" to the Pretoria Municipality in order to develop new highways in the east of the city. These plans fell through and in 1975 Armscor (South Africa) acquired the property for the development of their new headquarters. In 1975 the board instructed Billy Nel, assisted by Dr Elise Labuschagne, Hannes Meiring and Anton Janson to restore the mansion to its original form. The two original farm houses on the farm were moved closer to the mansion in order to clear space for the construction of Armscor's new headquarters. They were demolished stone by stone and then carefully re-erected closer to the castle, the vandalised Erasmus family cemetery was moved into the old cattle kraal area. In 1989 the construction firm A J KONSTRUKSIE (EDMS) BPK were contracted to make urgent restorations.
21st Century
The mansion continues to sprout new and exciting tales and remains popular with ghost hunters and historical societies to this day.
Historical Importance
In a cave on the property several pre-colonial artefacts were discovered. Chief amongst these were San artifacts dating from over 150,000 years ago, turquoise beads dating back to the traders from ancient Phoenicia. The site also contains a preserved early Voortrekker period home with a historically accurate cow dung floor.
