Pilgrim's Rest, South Africa Tourism

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prospectors flocking to the area. Over the years their claims were bought up by mining companies, and eventually the Transvaal Gold Mining Estate was established. Pilgrim's Rest meanwhile grew into a small town with a church, a school and its own newspaper. Mining operations finally ceased in 1971.

Pilgrim's Rest, now preserved in its entirety as a national monument, retains the atmosphere of gold-digging days

In 1972 the town and the gold workings were bought by the provincial government and carefully restored, and this old gold-diggers' town is now an open-air museum, with many houses containing authentic furniture and furnishings, shops, the Royal Hotel (still offering accommodation for visitors), a bank and the office of the "Pilgrim's Rest and Sabie News". A plan of the town showing all the most interesting buildings can be obtained from the information center in the main street.