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Prieska lies on the
south bank of the Orange River, at the foot of the
Doringberg (thorn mountains) and west of Hopetown.
It was established between 1878 and 1882 and was
granted municipal status in 1892.
 The
stone fort on the top of Prieska Koppie (hill) overlooking
the town was built by the British during the
Anglo-Boer War of 1899-1902. It is made entirely of
tiger's eye. The graves of British soldiers who died
in the war can be seen in the Memorial Garden in
town.
 Prieska
was originally named Prieschap, a Koranna word
meaning "place of the lost she-goat”. It was a
fording place for travellers crossing the Orange
river. It became a well-known staging post, with a
trading post and mission station established here.
When several voortrekkers moved their cattle here
after heavy rains, they remained.
Prieska is renowned for its
semi-precious stones; in particular it is
best known for Tiger's Eye.
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The Schumann
Rock Collection, including semiprecious
stones and
Khoisan stone implements, is also
worth visiting at the municipal offices.
Impressive collections of succulents are
found in the Prieska Koppie Nature Reserve.
The area between Prieska and Vioolsdrif is
often called the "Rock Garden Route" – where
the rare halfmens and succulents of the
Lithops family can be found - and the Ria
Huysamen Aloe Garden outside town contains a
large array of succulents.
Also worth a visit is Wonderdraai, where
a horseshoe-shaped island is formed by the
flow of the Orange River and makes it seem
as if the river turns to flow uphill.
Examples of Bushman rock art can be
viewed on several farms in the area
surrounding Prieska.
Today Prieska is a centre for sheep
farming, while lucerne, vegetables, maize
and fruit are grown using irrigation from
the Orange River.
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