City Guide: Historical Attractions Around Joburg
We all know that Johannesburg is a historical city of note. Whether you are a local or international tourist, it’s important to remember past happenings and where you came from. Here are our top 8 historical attractions around Joburg that make for an educational and inspiring day out.
1. Liliesleaf
Liliesleaf is located in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg, namely Rivonia. It is remembered for its use as a safe house for African National Congress activists and other key figures during the apartheid years in the 1960s.
After the end of apartheid, the property was restored and turned into a museum and National Heritage Site. Today it is a tourist attraction that houses many significant historical artefacts. These include the original copy of the Freedom Charter and Nelson Mandela’s arrest warrant. Furthermore, it offers guided tours, including a restored house to visit and a conference centre for hire.
2. Apartheid Museum
The Apartheid Museum is the first of its kind and opened in 2001. In essence, it is acknowledged as the most distinguished museum in the world when it comes to the 20th century in South Africa. Of course, apartheid lies at the heart of it all.
Further to this, the museum is a superb example of design, space and landscape, ultimately offering the local and international community a unique South African experience.
The exhibits have been assembled and organised by a team of curators, filmmakers, historians and designers. Evidently, you’ll find provocative film footage, photographs, text panels and artefacts illustrating the events and human stories that form part of South Africa’s history.
3. Constitution Hill
Constitution Hill is a living museum that tells the story of South Africa’s journey to democracy. The site is a former prison and military fort that bears testament to South Africa’s turbulent past. Today, it is home to the country’s Constitutional Court which endorses the rights of all citizens.
Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi, Joe Slovo and Albertina Sisulu all served time at Constitution Hill. Of course, it also confined tens of thousands of ordinary people during its 100-year history.
Visitors are invited to explore the precinct, touch the textured walls, read the graffiti, listen to the echoes and experience standing in the highest court in the land. In addition to this, it also conducts regular public events, enabling visitors to learn what constitutionalism means in South Africa.
4. Mandela House
Nelson Mandela and his first wife moved into 8115 Vilakazi Street, Orlando West in Soweto in 1946. After their divorce in 1957, his second wife, Winnie Madikizela, moved into residence with him.
Subsequently, Mandela House strives to be a world-class visitor attraction and a leading centre for the preservation, presentation and research of historical heritage and the Mandela Family legacy.
In essence, this tourist attraction aims to maintain an effective, efficient and meaningful experience for all visitors. That includes an environment of mutual respect, dignity and reconciliation in which every visitor relives the story of the late Nelson Mandela, his home and his life.
5. Vilakazi Street
The famous Vilakazi Street in Soweto is the only street in the world where two Nobel Peace Prize laureates – Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu – once lived. The street is also known for being the site of the Hector Pieterson shooting. Here, a memorial commemorates the events which sparked the 1976 Soweto uprising.
Now, Vilakazi Street is a popular tourist destination, attracting both local and international visitors. In fact, it is a vibrant hub for cultural events, festivals, authentic dining, backpacker hostels and curio shops.
The street was named after Dr BW Vilakazi, an intellectual poet and novelist who was the first black man to teach at the University of Witwatersrand.
6. Workers Museum
The exhibition at the Workers Museum in Newtown focuses on the years from the early 1900s to the 1970’s and reveals the hardships faced by migrant workers. The museum is housed in the Old Migrant Hostel Compound and shows the slave-like conditions the workers had to endure. It includes the original dormitories, concrete bunks and punishment rooms.
In addition to this, sections of the compound are used as meeting rooms and there is a small library with books related to labour history and socialist theory. The museum is housed in the restored west wing, while the east wing is a temporary space for exhibitions and community gatherings.
7. National Museum of Military History
The South African National Museum of Military History in Saxonwold is one of Johannesburg’s most underrated attractions. Officially opened in 1947, it preserves the history of South Africa’s involvement in the Second World War. Subsequently, it stands as a memorial to all South Africans who have died as a result of military actions and to preserve our nation’s military history for future generations.
Interestingly, it has a collection of World War 1 and 2 fighter planes, with some being the only remaining planes of their kind in the world. Further to this, they also house tanks used by the South African Defence Force, armaments, medals, military insignia and uniforms.
This war Museum is also known as the spiritual and symbolic home for all soldiers and veterans in South Africa. Naturally, several military organisations also use the museum as their headquarters.
8. Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory
The Nelson Mandela Foundation is a non-profit organisation focused on memory, dialogue and legacy work, founded by Nelson Mandela in 1999. Essentially, they are mandated to promote his lifelong vision of freedom and equality for all.
The Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory is one aspect of the foundation. This museum and educational centre document the life and times of the iconic political leader and former president. It includes original letters, interesting visuals and Mandela’s infamous car.
These are just a few historical attractions around Johannesburg. As a city that was pivotal in the anti-apartheid struggle, it has gems to be discovered anew each time you visit.
