Johannesburg

Johannesburg became founded when gold was found, and has grown from a dusty mining town to the commercial and industrial heart of South Africa.

An exciting tourist attraction is the Newton Cultural Precinct, part of an ambitious urban reclamation project. There are warehouses and other renovated buildings located on President Street, between Chinatown, Oriental Plaza and Diagonal Street, and presently now, a microcosm of South African culture. The Workers Museum has an extensive photo collection. On Saturday, the Johannesburg market is held on the square. 

The size of the city is particularly good to see from the Strijdom Tower, where one looks down from 269 meters on the bustling city with its breathtaking skyline. The Johannesburg Art Gallery, in Joubert Park, houses a fine collection of South African and international art. The Standard Bank Gallery is also worth a visit. In the outskirts of the city lies Gold Reef City, the recreation of a gold mining town from the eighties of the nineteenth century, has authentic shops, bars, restaurants and other interesting things. You can also make an excursion into a goldmine. 

The Voortrekker Monument in Johannesburg is an impressive memorial of the Great Trek of the Boers, between 1836 and 1840. Other attractions include the Africa Museum, where a fair and objective picture show the turbulent past of the country. The so-called Market Theatre Complex has an unusual contract between small theatres, bars, galleries and a Sunday flea market.