Pretoria is South Africa’s administrative capital and the Union Buildings are the headquarters of the government in the region, housing the Presidential Offices. Designed by renowned architect Sir Herbert Baker as a tribute to the country’s union status, they were constructed between 1910 and 1913 from light-coloured sandstone. The complex is impressive, stretching across almost 300 metres in a semicircular shape and featuring ornate towers on either side. It is surrounded by beautifully landscaped gardens encompassing a number of statues and memorials.