Historic HotelThroughout the decades, it was renovated and even altered but the basic design is still maintained. Originally constructed by the Dutch architect, Anthony De Witt, who came to South Africa in 1879. The Australian architect, William Black, undertook extensions around 1900s. In 1920s, the veranda was re-constructed on four sets of concrete pillars during the rebuilding. It's initial name was Hotel Metropole, opened in 1895. The newspaper report mentioned in 1895 that it was "one of the landmarks of the city … five storeys high. It is of a very imposing and grand appearance, being designed in the old German Renaissance style."
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