Statue of Maria van Riebeeck, Bronze statue on Heerengracht Street, Cape Town, South Africa.
The bronze figure depicts Maria holding a fruit basket in her left arm and flowers in her right, dressed in a wide skirt and circular collar. It stands on Heerengracht Street in central Cape Town, surrounded by busy thoroughfares and historic buildings.
The statue was gifted to South Africa by the Netherlands in 1954 and unveiled by Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld at the Iziko South African National Gallery. This gift recognized the early European ties and the role of the first settlers at the Cape.
The monument honors Maria as the founder of a household at the Cape and stands alongside her husband's statue as a paired memorial. Together, the two figures recall the early European settlers who shaped life in this region.
The monument sits in a central location, easy to find among hotels and restaurants throughout Cape Town. The area is walkable and accessible for those exploring nearby shops and museums.
Sculptor Dirk Wolbers modeled the figure after his own spouse, as no reliable depictions from Maria's lifetime existed. This artistic choice made the work as much a memorial to family bonds as to a historical figure.
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