Tiger's Eye
Although there is not much to do in the town or surrounding area of Prieska, there are some small charms to appreciate. For instance, the Tiger’s Eye, an interesting semi-precious stone made up of asbestos that's been metamorphosed by extreme heat and pressure underground. The resulting rock is finely stratified, and has a deep orange-brown colour with a sheen that dazzles in sunlight.
Prieska served as a fort for many years before the European and Afrikaner settlers formed the municipality, officially instating it as a town in 1818. The British then built a fort out of the precious tiger’s eye rock to protect the fort across the Orange River during the late 19th century.
Historical Sights
Prieska was originally created as a settlement for nearby farmers who wanted to make use of the fertile land surrounding the Orange River. Farming mostly with cattle and sheep, the settlement grew to house residents and expanded further along the river, creating new boundaries for new farms.
The town’s museum displays authentic farm tools and agricultural utensils that farmed Prieska earth centuries ago. It also depicts antique household belongings and other unusual objects.
Ria Huysamen Aloe Garden
The Ria Huysamen Aloe Garden is situated just outside of Prieska and houses 70 true species of aloe and natural hybrids. Trees provide protection from the sun, wind and weather, but the hardy plants are accustomed to the Karoo earth.
There are 10 specimen plants of Aloe Buhrii as well as other succulents including Dinteranthus, Euphorbia, Haworthia, Lithops, Stapelia, Titanopsis, Trichocaulon and the rarer Haworthia Truncata and Titanopsis Fulleri.
It's a very eye-catching place to visit if you are a nature enthusiast or simply seeking some green among the golden hills and dusty paths.