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Luke's Roadside Attractions

Mimetic Architecture

The Shoe

R36 south of Abel Erasmus Pass, 

near Branddraai, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa

The Shoe is the work of entrepreneur and artist Ron Van Zyl, who built it in 1990.  It is the third mimetic piece he has built along this road.  His wife Yvonne wanted a shoe, so he built her one.  When I visited in October 2003 the shoe was for sale, the Van Zyls wanted to move along.

The Shoe is part of a complex with an eight-chalet guest house, a camp site, restaurant, bar, pool, curio shop, and of course a museum in the shoe which features rock and wood carvings.

For a few rand, you can tour the interior of the shoe.

Ron Van Zyl is featured in our "The Man behind The Shoe" page.

Photographs © Luke W. Cole

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