If there is one thing you must do in Johannesburg, it is to visit Constitution Hill. To walk through the space where both Mandela and Ghandi were imprisoned was surreal.
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 and, today, is home to the country’s Constitutional Court, which endorses the rights of all citizens.
Constitution Hill consists of:
- The Old Fort ~ the first prison built in 1893 (and closed in 1983), The Old Fort housed white male prisoners ~ Nelson Mandela was the only black prisoner
- The Women’s Jail ~ built in 1910, women (sometimes along with their children) were housed here for petty crimes
- Number Four ~ built in 1902 for black prisoners, human rights violations happened here every day ~ Mahatma Gandhi was housed here
- The Constitutional Court ~ the highest court in South Africa
- The Awaiting Trial Block ~ built in 1928 to hold prisoners while they waited to be tried ~ today only 4 staircases remain
Located in the heart of Johannesburg, Consitution Hill is open most days and booking ahead of time is not required. An adult ticket for the Full Tour is R200 (about $17 CAD). A must do!
Happy Travels!
More South Africa …
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Jackie is “Mom” to one amazing son, an IT professional and an obsessed traveller. She spends her time reading, golfing at Ladies League and implementing software projects. Jackie has travelled to 7 continents, 5 oceans and 105 countries and she is always planning the next destination and adventure!
I enjoyed my time there. A very interesting place.