Attractions

Places of interest

Johannesburg – Gauteng province

Joburg Luxury Suites is within easy reach of a number of places of interest and sightseeing destinations.

Photos by Chris Kirchhoff, MediaClubSouthAfrica.com

History

Liliesleaf

Once the nerve centre of the liberation movement and a place of refuge for its leaders, today Liliesleaf is one of South Africa’s foremost, award–winning heritage sites, where the journey to democracy in South Africa is honoured.

Apartheid Museum

The Apartheid Museum illustrates the rise and fall of apartheid through film footage, photographs, text panels and artifacts illustrating the events and human stories that are part of the epic saga, known as apartheid. A series of 22 individual exhibition areas takes the visitor through a dramatic emotional journey that tells a story of a state sanctioned system based solely on racial discrimination.

Constitution Hill

The Constitutional Court of South Africa is a unique architectural symbol of South Africa’s democracy. On this site, once the Old Fort Prison Complex, commonly known as Number Four, political prisoners and common criminals awaited trial and sat out their jail sentences. Today, the elegant Constitutional Court presides over this once–reviled place and stands as a proud monument to South Africa’s hard-earned freedom.

Hector Pietersen Memorial

Commemorative memorial to student Hector Pieterson who died during the 1976 Sowetan school protests against being taught in the medium of Afrikaans. The memorial is situated 600 m from the actual shooting site.

Heritage

Cradle of Humankind

The Cradle of Humankind Site comprises a strip of a dozen dolomitic limestone caves containing the fossilised remains of ancient forms of animals, plants and most importantly, hominids. At least seven of the twelve sites have yielded hominid remains. In fact, together these cave sites have produced over 850 hominid fossil remains, so that to date they represent one of the world’s richest concentrations of fossil hominid bearing sites.

Maropeng

Maropeng, the visitor centre for the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site – meaning ‘returning to the place of our origins’ in Setswana – takes you back in time through a series of interactive exhibits and experiences. See fossils, learn about the origins of humankind, view stone tools dating back a million years old, and much more.

Gold Reef City

Formed after the gold rush which saw pioneers flock to the region in search of the precious metal, Johannesburg is known affectionately as Egoli, City of Gold. Gold Reef City gives you the opportunity to experience an underground mine visit and how the early settlers lived in this reconstructed mining town.

For more heritage information

For more heritage information, visit the Gauteng Tourism Authority website.

Parks

Walter Sisulu National Botanical Gardens

About 10 km away, the Botanical Gardens are most well-known for a pair of majestic Verreaux’s Eagles which nest on the cliffs alongside the waterfall.

Wildlife

Johannesburg Zoo

The Joburg Zoo is one of the most popular local and tourist attractions situated in Rosebank, Johannesburg. The Zoo covers 55 hectares of land and houses over 320 species of animals, totalling about 2,000 animals.

Lion Park

Only 30km from Joburg, the Lion Park comprises 200 hectares of grassland and forests, many species of game can be sighted here. See prides of lions in the lion enclosure their cubs.

Elephant Sanctuary Hartbeestpoort

The Elephant Sanctuary has African elephants and offers an interactive elephant experience, elephant back riding and overnight accommodation.

Art

African Feelings Gallery

This commercial space specialises in Southern African and African art with occasional curated exhibitions.

  • Tel: (011) 884 1148
  • Address: 154 Linden Street, Sandown, Sandton

Everard Read

Established in 1913, Everard Read is Africa’s oldest commercial art gallery. Since its inception Everard Read has been associated with pre-eminent artists working in Southern Africa. Everard Read has also been involved in sourcing Fine Art from acclaimed international artists and continues to do so.

African Curios

Art Africa

Art Africa offers a fine collection of ethnic arts, crafts and artefacts from around Africa. The shop is split into a front section that carries funky, contemporary and often recycled items from self-help groups in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo. The back section has an amazing selection of wooden games, head rests, wooden statues and sculptures, wooden and grass bowls and bright African fabrics.

  • Tel: (011) 486 2052
  • Address: 62 Tyrone Ave, Parkview, Johannesburg

African Craft Market

The African Craft Market is a unique African cultural shopping destination. This initiative formalised the hawker trade in the area and is now a bustling market known for its quality exotic African artifacts. The vendors from Cameroon, Zimbabwe, Congo, the Ivory Coast and many more offer a diverse range of fabric, jewellery, clothing, carvings, beadwork, ceramics and other décor and art items.

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