# Calitzdorp

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Town in Western Cape, South Africa

Place in Western Cape, South Africa

Calitzdorp Clockwise from Top: Calitzdorp Main Road, Calitzdorp sign, Dutch Reformed Church of Calitzdorp. Calitzdorp Show map of Western Cape Calitzdorp Show map of South Africa Coordinates: 33°32′15″S 21°41′07″E / 33.53750°S 21.68528°E / -33.53750; 21.68528 Country South Africa Province Western Cape District Garden Route Municipality Kannaland Proclaimed 1909 Area [1] • Total 26.33 km2 (10.17 sq mi) Elevation 240 m (790 ft) Population (2011)[1] • Total 4,284 • Density 162.7/km2 (421.4/sq mi) Racial makeup (2011) [1] • Black African 4.3% • Coloured 85.5% • Indian/Asian 0.5% • White 8.9% • Other 0.8% First languages (2011) [1] • Afrikaans 94.2% • English 3.3% • Other 2.5% Time zone UTC+2 (SAST) Postal code (street) 6660 PO box 6660 Area code 044

**Calitzdorp** is a town on the Western side of the Little or Klein [Karoo](/source/Karoo) in the [Western Cape Province](/source/Western_Cape_Province) of [South Africa](/source/South_Africa) and lies on South Africa's [Route 62](/source/Route_62_(South_Africa)).

## History

The land on which Calitzdorp is situated was originally granted to Jacobus Johannes and Matthys Christian Calitz in 1821. They named the farm Buffelsvlei, after the local vegetation and wildlife found in the area.[2]

In 1853, the Calitz brothers donated part of their farmland for the construction of a church. By 1858, the church had begun selling plots to members of the congregation.[2]

Calitzdorp was officially proclaimed a town in 1909.[3] By 1910, the town’s population had grown to around 4,000, creating the need for a larger church and school. Both buildings were completed in 1912. The church, built in a [Neo-Byzantine style](/source/Neo-Byzantine_style) with a [Marseilles-tiled roof](/source/Roof_tiles#Marseilles_tiles). It was declared a national monument in 1991.[2]

Construction also began in 1912 on the old [Standard Bank](/source/Standard_Bank) building, which now houses the local museum, as well as the Calitzdorp Dam. The dam wall was one of first in South Africa to be built using [concrete](/source/Concrete). However, the town later faced several setbacks, including [droughts](/source/Droughts), the [great influenza epidemic](/source/Spanish_flu), and the collapse of the [ostrich](/source/Ostrich) feather industry.[2]

The town continued to develop after the construction of the [railway](/source/Railway) line to [Oudtshoorn](/source/Oudtshoorn) in 1924.[3] This was followed by [electrification](/source/Electrification) and the completion of the first [concrete road](/source/Road_surface#Concrete) between Calitzdorp and Oudtshoorn in 1937.[2] The new [R62 route](/source/R62_(South_Africa)) was completed in 1978.

## Geography

### Topography

The Swartberg (in the North), Rooiberge (to the South) and the Mountains of the Huisrivier Pass (to the West) surrounds Calitzdorp's challenging landscape with floods, droughts and [extreme weather](/source/Extreme_weather), from very hot to snow clad mountaintops in the winter.

### Climate

Summers are very hot during the day, mainly a dry heat, up to 40 °C. Wind from the sea every afternoon allows for moderate, cool evenings. Winters have sunny days, very cold nights with occasional frost and snow often falling on the surrounding Swartberg Mountain Range. Rainfall is approximately 200 mm per year, often with the changing of seasons. Prevailing winds are mainly from the south in summer and hot wind from the North in August.

## Demographics

‹ The [template](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Template) *[Historical populations](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Historical_populations)* is being [considered for merging](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Templates_for_discussion/Log/2026_June_24#Template:Infobox_demographics). ›

Population census Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1904 509 — 1911 724 +5.16% 1921 1,727 +9.08% 1936 1,993 +0.96% 1946 1,933 −0.31% 1951 2,134 +2.00% Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1960 2,299 +0.83% 1970 2,575 +1.14% 1980 2,880 +1.13% 2001 3,188 +0.48% 2011 4,284 +3.00% Source: [3][1]

## Tourism

Calitzdorp is a haven for enthusiasts of fishing, bird-watching, 4×4 and other scenic routes, horse-riding and [wine tasting](/source/Wine_tasting).

Calitzdorp is renowned as a centre of the port wine industry in South Africa with several major wine estates famous for their award-winning products.[4][5][6] A Port festival takes place in the town in mid-June each year.[7]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-census2011_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-census2011_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-census2011_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-census2011_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-census2011_1-4) ["Main Place Calitzdorp"](http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/174005). *Census 2011*.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-H1_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-H1_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-H1_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-H1_2-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-H1_2-4) ["Calitzdorp history"](https://www.calitzdorp.co.za/history.htm).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-H2_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-H2_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-H2_3-2) Homer, Dudley; Van Wyk, Graham (April 1984). [*Quiet desperation: The poverty of Calitzdorp*](https://opensaldru.uct.ac.za/bitstream/handle/11090/288/1984_horner_ccp36.pdf?sequence=1) (PDF). Second Carnegie Inquiry into Poverty and Development in Southern Africa. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0 7992 0777 2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0_7992_0777_2).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Boplaas Family Vineyards Since 1880 | South Africa"](https://www.boplaas.co.za/). *Boplaas Wines*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Calitzdorp Cellar | Taste The Klein Karoo in the heart of Calitzdorp"](https://calitzdorpwine.co.za/). *Calitzdorp Cellar*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Main Home"](https://dekrans.co.za/). *De Krans Wines*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["CALITZDORP PORT & WINE FESTIVAL"](https://www.sa-venues.com/events/westerncape/calitzdorp-port-wine-festival/). *sa-venues*.

## External links

- [Calitzdorp Info](http://www.calitzdorp.co.za)

- [Calitzdorp Tourism Bureau](https://web.archive.org/web/20120209113042/http://www.tourismcalitzdorp.co.za/)

- [Route 62](https://web.archive.org/web/20110526170633/http://www.route62.co.za/route62towns.php?townID=4&image2.x=11&image2.y=5)

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Calitzdorp](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Calitzdorp).

v t e Municipalities and communities of Garden Route District Municipality, Western Cape District seat: George Bitou Harkerville Keurboomstrand Kranshoek Kurland Estate Nature's Valley Plettenberg Bay Wittedrif Garden Route District within South Africa George Avontuur Bergplaas De Vlugt George Haarlem Herold Herolds Bay Hoekwil Pacaltsdorp Touwsranten Twee Rivieren Uniondale Victoria Bay Wilderness Woodville Hessequa Albertinia Gouritsmond Groot-Jongensfontein Heidelberg Port Beaufort Puntjie Riversdale Slangrivier Stilbaai Vermaaklikheid Witsand Kannaland Amaliënstein Calitzdorp Ladismith Vanwyksdorp Zoar Knysna Bracken Hill Brenton-on-Sea Buffelsbaai Farleigh Gouna Karatara Knysna Rheenendal Sedgefield Mossel Bay Boggomsbaai Brandwag Danabaai Friemersheim Glentana Great Brak River Hartenbos Herbertsdale Jonkersberg Little Brak River Mossel Bay Ruiterbos Vleesbaai Oudtshoorn De Hoop De Rust Dysselsdorp Matjiesrivier Oudtshoorn Schoemanshoek Volmoed

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Calitzdorp](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calitzdorp) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calitzdorp?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.