The building's name comes from the time of the South African Union, which was only changed in 1961 to the current name, the Republic of South Africa. Since the first free and common elections in South Africa in 1994 the Union Building has been the seat of Ex-President Nelson Mandela for the winter season.
Parliament spends the summer in Cape Town, the alternate capital.
Side-wing with dome tower. Column loggias in the colonnades. For many South Africans the Union Buildings are the most beautiful seat of a government in the world. Sir Herbert Baker was the architect of this 275 m long building and had it built in the English monumental style from light sandstone. It does indeed look majestic and lends a solemn environment to the official acts of the respective President.