History will remain hidden if heritage buildings are not restored and protected from a harsh climate. The Groote Kerk in Cape Town, recorded as the oldest church in South Africa still on its original premises, is one such building. According to painting and waterproofing company commissioned to paint the church, Indawo, buildings that form part of our heritage demand extra care when restoring.

Indawo Painting and Waterproofing managing director, Peter Jäck, says, “Restoring historical buildings involves more than a coat of paint. Inspecting the surfaces of the structures is important to avoid painting over potential problem areas. All surfaces need to be thoroughly cleaned and a suitable primer applied, where it is needed, before painting the final coat with a product that ensures sustained integrity of the walls’ outer layers. Some external structural and surface damage required repairs at the Groote Kerk, but these were confined to small areas. The structure has been superbly maintained, testament to the owner’s respect for the church’s history.”

South Africa’s history dates back before the arrival of the Dutch settlers, but it is their architecture that captivates historians and tourists. The Dutch Reformed religion that arrived with Jan van Riebeeck had no suitable place for worship. Worship services were held where the Castle stands where burials also took place until about 1666. With larger space needed, a suitable area for a cemetery was set aside in the Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie (VOC) or Dutch East India Company’s gardens and in 1699 this space was reserved to build a church.  

Building was planned for 1678 but was delayed. It was only on 28 December 1700 that the cornerstone could be laid by governor, Willem Adriaan van der Stel. The spire was the last structure to be erected in 1703 and the church was consecrated on 6 January 1704 with a vestry being added in 1745. The adjoining cemetery was the resting place of many prominent Cape Governors including Simon van der Stel, Ryk Tulbagh and Pieter Baron van Rheede van Oudtshoorn. By 1779, expansion was necessary. The walls were moved outwards resulting in the building losing its cruciform structure.

German stonemason, Hermann Schutte, who arrived in the Cape in 1790, identified water damage that reached into the foundations and suggested replacing the roof but it became evident that the foundations would not withstand the weight. The small, Baroque-styled church, except for the spire and vestry, was razed to the ground, circa 1835, except for the spire and vestry. A new Cape Gothic-styled building was built by Schutte, and inaugurated on 31 January 1841, some 137 years after the opening of the first church. The Groote Kerk was declared a National Monument on 28 September 1962.

The church boasts architectural and historical gems:

• The ornate pulpit resting on the shoulders of two lions, carved by renowned sculptor, Anton Anreith (1754-1815), and carpenter, Jan Jacob Greeff was installed circa 1789. This centuries’ old masterpiece draws artists from all over the world wanting to see the work of Anreith.
• The spire is the only remnant of the original structure of 1704.
• The large, unsupported vaulted ceiling, said to have been the largest in the southern hemisphere, boasts magnificent plaster rosettes that overlook enclosed wooden pews below, each with their own latched doors, reflecting 15th century European styled churches. The ceiling, according to the builder, would improve the organ’s acoustics.
• Organ playing became fashionable later and in 1720, the church board requested the Here XVII, the management board of the VOC, in the Netherlands to supply one. They refused. Organ maker, Jacob Poosen, arrived in the Cape in 1735 and governor Jan de la Fontaine commissioned him to build an organ for his daughter. The governor was recalled to the Netherlands and the church bought the organ in 1737 for 500 Gulden (R70) but was later replaced in 1757 and again in 1788. Both the replacements gave numerous problems until Jan Hoets paid for one from Bevington, an English manufacturing company, which was dedicated on 11 July 1830. After refurbishing it twice (1887 and 1923), the church ordered a replacement in 1953 from Pelz and Zoon van Alkmaar in the Netherlands, for 17,500 Pounds (R35 000). The organ, consecrated by Dr A J van der Merwe on 1 December 1957, is said to be the largest in South Africa. The organ comprises 5917 pipes made of copper, wood and an alloy of tin and lead, the longest at 9,5 metres has a diametre of 254 mm and the shortest at 6 mm, a diametre of 2,5 mm, and a console with 102 registers. The most recent refurbishing was done by Southern Organ Builders and completed in 2002. World-renowned Roucher du Toit is the organist at the Groote Kerk.
• At the entrance to the Groote Kerk is a marble statue of Dr Andrew Murray, the church’s minister from 1864-1871.

The scope of the project included:

• Use of scaffolding in the interior and exterior of the church.
• Safety of workers.
• Protection of the buildings structures and furnishings.
• Thorough cleaning of all surfaces.
• Minor structural and surface repairs.
• Spot priming where required
• Application of top coats.

Jäck concludes, “It was some 23 years ago that I was involved in major renovations at the Groote Kerk as well as the replacement of the roof and am proud to be a part of its past and present. There is so much history associated with the church. We are proud to have been appointed to restore its aesthetics to ensure that tourists can admire this part of our culture.”