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VREDEFORT DOME
UNESCO World Heritage Site
South Africa’s most recent UNESCO World Heritage Site is Vredefort Dome, a dramatic landscape formed by the impact of a massive meteorite impact structure,
called an astrobleme. Situated roughly 120km south west of Johannesburg
in the Free State, it dates back 2,023 million years and is the oldest astrobleme
on the planet. Not only is it the granddaddy of meteorite craters,
Vredefort Dome is also the deepest and largest with a radius of 190km.
The gigantic meteorite impact caused immense shifts in the earth’s
crust over hundreds of kilometres and is evident in the spectacular and
somewhat craggy terrain. The impact zone is remarkably visible in
satellite images and photographs taken from the space shuttle. Vredefort Dome demonstrates exciting and compelling evidence of the evolution and geological record of the earth.
But there’s more than just fascinating geological history, the
tortured landscape sustains a variety of natural habitats including an
exceptional wild olive forest. The Vaal River meanders through the hills and there is a great diversity of bird life with over 400 bird species recorded. Along with excellent birdwatching there is plentiful small game and the chance of maybe even spotting a nocturnal leopard or caracal.
For the young at heart or seriously active, the region is a great place for outdoor and adventure activities with great horse riding, hiking, abseiling, rock climbing, mountain biking, fishing and paddling. The sleepy dorp of Vredefort lies within the crater along with the arty-crafty little town of Parys which is close to some fun rafting trips on the Vaal River.
Just 30 km North West of Vredefort and in the North West Province is the historic university town of Potchefstroom. "Potch" has an annual arts festival at the end of September and early October so booking ahead at this time is a wise idea.
History buffs should check out the Potchefstroom Museum, which houses a rare Voortrekker wagon from the Battle of Blood River in 1938. Also of interest is the Totius Museum, the house that Totius, a celebrated poet and key figure of the Afrikaans language movement lived in a century ago. Paintings dedicated to him by the famous and controversial artist Jacob Pierneef adorn the walls.
INTERESTING LINKS:
Earth Impact Database
Google Satellite Image
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UNESCO World Heritage Selection Criteria:
Vredefort Dome is the oldest, largest, and most deeply eroded complex meteorite impact structure in the world. It is the site of the world’s greatest single, known energy release event.
It contains high quality and accessible geological (outcrop) sites
which demonstrate a range of geological evidences of a complex
meteorite impact structure. The rural and natural landscapes of the
serial property help portray the magnitude of the ring structures
resulting from the impact. The serial nomination is considered to be a
representative sample of a complex meteorite impact structure. A
comprehensive comparative analysis with other complex meteorite impact
structures demonstrated that it is the only example on earth providing a full geological profile of an astrobleme below the crater floor, thereby enabling research into the genesis and development of an astrobleme immediately post impact.
Justification for inscription
- Criterion (viii): To be outstanding examples representing major stages of earth's
history, including the record of life, significant on-going geological
processes in the development of landforms, or significant geomorphic or
physiographic features.
Source: UNESCO
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