Graves at the Talana museum in Dundee, the site of the first battle of the Anglo Boer War on 20 October 1899.

© GroblerduPreez/Getty Images/iStock

Talana Heritage Park & Battlefield

KwaZulu-Natal

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Talana means ‘the shelf where precious items are stored’ – strangely appropriate for this excellent battlefield site turned heritage park. There are memorials, cairns and 27 historic buildings relating to the 1899 Anglo-Boer Battle of Talana (the first Anglo-Boer battle was fought on the site). Spread around these buildings are comprehensive displays on the Anglo-Zulu and Anglo-Boer Wars.

It's located on the Vryheid road, 1.5km out of town.

Curator Pam McFadden is Talana’s knowledge guru. Displays include a photograph of Mahatma Gandhi during his stretcher-bearing days, local history, exquisite Zulu beading and a glassworks display.

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