Graham Jacobs

Wupperthal, established in 1830 as South Africa's first Rhenish mission station, sits in the isolated Tra Tra River valley, about 250 km from Cape Town. Founded by missionaries Baron Theobald von Wurmb and Gottlieb Leipoldt, it became a haven for freed slaves and surviving Khoe San people. The settlement grew rapidly, developing from its initial church and school to include a tannery, shoe factory, and residential areas with thatched houses by the 1850s. It transferred to Moravian Church management in 1965.

On December 30, 2018, tragedy struck when a fire devastated the historic town. The blaze, fueled by strong winds and dry conditions, destroyed 52 houses and several historic buildings, leaving approximately 200 people homeless and claiming one life. The disaster was considered the worst to affect South African built heritage since the 1969 Tulbagh earthquake.

The response to this catastrophe was swift and widespread. The Rupert Foundation emerged as the primary benefactor, funding most of the rescue restoration works in the town center. A team of specialists, including architects, heritage consultants, and structural engineers, was assembled to carefully restore the historic structures. The photographs below show the devastating impact of the fire and the inspiring restoration efforts.

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Below are a few excerpts from the report on the restoration of the town of Wupperthal following the tragic 2019 fire. Many commentators have described the fire as the worst disaster to South Africa's built heritage since the 1969 Tulbagh earthquake. The project shows what can be achieved when architects, contractors, funders and the community pull together for a greater cause. Click here to view the full report.

Historical Background

The mission station of Wupperthal is a veritable time capsule. It is located within the arid Cedarberg region of South Africa, a place characterized by craggy wilderness landscapes and spectacular seasonal displays of wild flowers which  have drawn and captivated many over the years: from the celebrated poet, medical doctor and epicure, C Louis Leipoldt in the earlier 1900’s, to modern day international rock climbers and those simply seeking a temporary break from their hectic city lives. 

Wupperthal was established in 1830 as the first Rhenish mission station in South Africa. The new settlement was spearheaded by the missionaries Baron Theobald von Wurmb and Louis Leipoldt’s grandfather, Gottlieb Leipoldt. The mission was laid out on the farms Rietmond and Koudeberg, situated in the isolated but fertile Tra Tra River valley approximately 72km from Clanwilliam and about 250 km from Cape Town, after the farms were acquired by the Rhenish Mission Society. Interestingly, the founding of this mission town pre-dated, by approximately 100 years, the formal founding of its namesake in Germany.

By 1834 a church and school had been built to...