Johannesburg Attractions

A good starting-point for a tour of the city is the Carlton Centre in Commissioner Street, one of Johannesburg's tallest buildings. On the lower floors are a shopping center and parking decks; the rest of the building is occupied by offices. From the 50th floor, at a height of 202m/663ft, there are fantastic views of Johannesburg and the surrounding area. Adjoining the Carlton Centre is the luxury Carlton Hotel.

In Rissik Street, at the intersection with Market Street, are two of Johannesburg's few (relatively) old buildings. The Rissik Street Post Office is a brick building of 1897, with an additional story and tower added in 1902. The Neo-Renaissance City Hall (1910-15) now houses only a few municipal offices (most of the city's administration is now in the Civic Centre).

The Adler Museum of the History of Medicine was installed within the South African Institute for Medical Research in 1967.

As well as the large collection of medical and dental instruments displayed in the main building the museum includes a chemist's shop which originally stood in Beit Street and a medicine-man's herb shop.

The Africana Museum illustrates the history of Johannesburg and the occupation of South Africa by Europeans. The geological section on the first floor has a unique collection of minerals and a quantity of prehistoric material.

The Museum of Photography documents the history of photography with a collection of photographs, cameras and other equipment.

The Bernberg Museum of Costume has a lovingly assembled collection of clothing and accessories of the 17th to 20th C.

This spacious park in the Bezuidenhout district, east of the city center, occupies the site of Doornfontein Farm. The old farmhouse, dating from gold rush days, still survives. Children will be more interested in the miniature railroad which runs round the park.

In the Botanic Garden there is a summer display of over 4,000 roses. Exotic plants are grown in a hothouse.

On the Emmarentia Dam, a small reservoir in the gardens, there are facilities for wind-surfing and sailing.

The Braamfontein Spruit Trail is a walking tour which takes visitors around the main features of interest in the central area and the Randburg and Sandton districts. Information on the exact route can be obtained from the Johannesburg Tourism Association.

The Chris Lessing Boxing Museum contains cups, trophies, boxing gloves, photographs and other mementos of the "greats" of the boxing ring.

The Civic Centre c 1978 is headquarters of Johannesburg's municipal administration.

The Civic Theatre is one of Johannesburg's leading venues for ballet, opera and drama.

A striking building in Diagonal Street is the Diamond Building, with a façade reminiscent of the facets of a diamond. It was designed by the well-known German-born architect Helmut Jahn (b. 1940), who now lives in Chicago.

The Chamber of Mines organizes day-long tours of local gold mines.

In one of the university buildings is the room in which Jan Smuts (1870-1950) worked. The furniture came from Smuts's last home in Irene (near Pretoria). Smuts, soldier and statesman, withdrew from public life after the defeat of his United Party in the 1948 election.

The Jewish Museum, with sacred objects and documents, illustrates the history of Jews in South Africa from 1920 to the present day.

In Joubert Park is the Johannesburg Art Gallery with a collection of works by South African and European artists.

One room contains over 2,000 prints of the 15th to 20th C.

Works of sculpture are displayed in the courtyard of the gallery and in Joubert Park.

The Planetarium, on the campus of Witwatersrand University, has presentations in English. Up to 9000 stars can be projected on to the 22m/72ft high dome.

The Johannesburg Public Library, built in 1935, has a valuable collection of old books in addition to its lending department.

On the north edge of the city center is the Johannesburg Railway Station, the largest in Africa, handling half a million passengers every day.

In the older part of the station is the South African Transport Museum with a wide range of exhibits, including old steam engines and model railroad layouts.

Joubert Park, the oldest park in Johannesburg, was originally laid out in 1887.
It is no longer the safe, beautiful park it once was.

The Kwazuli Muti Shop sells herbal medicines and salves used by Zulu medicine-men. Some of the medicines are very curious indeed, made from bones, animal skins and a variety of unidentifiable items.

The Melrose Bird Sanctuary with its 10 ha/25ac of luxuriant vegetation, is an ideal nesting-place for many species of birds.

On the western outskirts of Johannesburg, in the Melville district, is the Melville Koppies Nature Reserve (area 80 ha/200ac), which contains around 80% of the plant species found on the Witwatersrand. Of these 30 are edible, 113 have medicinal properties, 8 are poisonous, 2 are used in the manufacture of expensive perfumes and 35 are used in magical rituals. Within the reserve is an important bird-watching station, where more than 150 species of birds have been recorded.

Barclays Bank has a small museum on the history of banking.

The Oriental Plaza, is a huge shopping center with more than 300 shops and two excellent Indian restaurants. In this exotic eastern bazaar bargaining over the price is normal.

Rhodes Park is centered on a reservoir in the Kensington District.

This lively street to the northeast of the city center is the haunt of young people, artists and students of all social classes and colors.

There are numerous shops selling African arts and crafts, way-out clothing and jewelry. The street really comes to life in the evening, when the "scene" heats up, with jazz, pop and folk music until late at night.

St Mary's Anglican Cathedral is an imposing building designed by Sir Herbert Baker (1926).

On the University campus is the Standard Bank Foundation Collection of African Tribal Art including masks, headdresses, beadwork and Ndebele fertility dolls.

Sittings of the Supreme Court are open to the public.

In this 17ha/42ac park, grow many species of protea and wild flowers from Namaqualand (at their best between September and December).

There is also a pleasant tea garden.

(It is advisable to visit this area only in groups.)

Witswatersrand University is an urban, comprehensive university spread over 100ha/247ac in the heart of Johannesburg. Since the 1920's it has seen more than 100,000 graduates.

The Lion Park can be explored on 10km/6mi of roads. Visitors can observe numerous animals from their cars, including lions, zebras, ostriches, wildebeests and various species of antelopes and gazelles.

Within the park are a restaurant, a swimming pool, picnic areas and barbecue sites.

Edenvale is a residential area (pop. 30,000) with some industry, founded by mine workers in 1903. Some of the modest houses of gold rush days, built of iron and wood, have survived.

In Horwood Street is a large leisure park, with an artificial lake, a roller-skating rink and many picnic areas.

Kempton Park is an industrial town with a population of 90,000. Here is Johannesburg International Airport, South Africa's largest airport, named after the soldier and politician Jan Smuts (1870-1950), who, after holding various ministerial offices, was prime minister of the Union of South Africa from 1919 to 1924 and again from 1939 to 1948. He played a part in the founding of the United Nations in 1945.

The La Grange Bird Park is populated by many species of birds. Within the park are a picnic area and an attractive tea garden.

130km/81mi southwest of Johannesburg on the banks of the Vaal is Parys (pop. 46,000), which was founded in 1876. It was given its name by a German who had taken part in the siege of Paris in 1870. It is now a popular holiday resort.

The Vaal at this point is up to 1km/.6mi wide, with numerous little wooded islands, providing ideal conditions for fishing and boating. In addition to tourism the town's economy depends on the maize, groundnuts and grain grown in the surrounding area.

The Rhino Park, a privately owned nature reserve at the foot of Zwartkop Mountain in which live 20 different species of game. The main attractions are the white rhinos. There is overnight accommodation for visitors, but day visitors are also welcome.

The Rondebult Bird Sanctuary (area 94ha/232ac;) is home to over 150 species of birds, including many water birds. There are a number of viewing posts from which the birds can be observed.

Springs, now an important craft and industrial center with a population of over 100,000, was originally founded to house workers in the coal-mines of the surrounding area. Coal-mining later gave place to gold-mining - at one time more gold was produced here than anywhere else in the world - and various industries (paper, cosmetics, glass, etc.).

The first railroad line in South Africa, the Rand Tram, ran between Springs and Johannesburg.

In Halfway House, between Johannesburg and Pretoria, is the Transvaal Snake Park, with 150 species of snakes, reptiles and amphibians from southern Africa, as well as crocodiles and tortoises. There are regular presentations of different species of snakes.

Vanderbijlpark (pop. 65,000) is an industrial town on the banks of the Vaal. It is a regularly planned town with extensive open spaces and leisure facilities, established in 1952 to house the employees of a new iron and steel works.