Join CGTN to see how history integrates with future in Johannesburg

World
Europe

The 10th BRICS Summit kicked off on July 25 (Beijing Time) in South Africa’s most popular city – Johannesburg.

Johannesburg, also known as Jo’burg or Jozi, is the largest city in South Africa. Due to the discovery of large gold deposits along Johannesburg’s Witwatersrand, the city is dubbed South Africa’s city of gold.

Skyline of Sandton Business District, Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa. /VCG Photo

Bursting with the prosperity and energy of a big city but also with the friendliness of a much smaller town, Johannesburg has attracted travelers to discover its unique charm and culture. Thanks to the city’s convenient transportation, Johannesburg has now become a transportation hub in the country.

Today, the city is looking optimistically toward the future, reaping the benefits of increased revenue and gradually attracting more visitors internationally. Follow CGTN for a look at Johannesburg during Xi's state visit.

Constitution Hill: A top attraction to provide fascinating insight into South Africa's history

If you go for a trip to Johannesburg, make sure to stop off at Constitution Hill. It is one of South Africa’s historical sites where visitors can learn about a less cheery era in the country’s history. At this site, travelers can explore provocative exhibits at the Number Four museum, the Women's Gaol museum, and the Old Fort museum.

The sculpture on Constitution Hill, Johannesburg. /Photo via planetware.com

In particular, the Old Fort is a former prison dating back to the late 19th century, offering a chilling look at the apartheid regime, and was where Mandela spent short stints in 1956 and 1962 while awaiting trial. Guided tours of Constitutional Hill will offer valuable insight into its rich history.

Gold Reef City: An amusement park to experience ultimate possibilities

Considered the ideal place for travelers to chill, Gold Reef City would give you an incredible variety of fun things to do in Johannesburg. Located close to the city center, it is an amusement park featuring many attractions like water rides and famous casinos that visitors from all over the world flock to.

Gold Reef City, Johannesburg. /Photo via planetware.com

The must-see museum inside, dedicated to gold mining on the grounds, offers you an exciting experience to learn how Johannesburg came to be and how gold was discovered on the reef, as well as to descend 75 meters underground to witness the magnificent glow of a live gold pour.

The Gold Reef City Theme Park is open from 9:30 a.m. to 17:00 p.m. from Wednesday to Sunday and all public holidays.

Tour guide and group on underground mine tour. /VCG Photo

Apartheid Museum: Seize the opportunity to understand inspiring apartheid stories

Lying within the Gold Reef City, the Apartheid Museum has been open to the public since 2001. The museum portrays the story of apartheid through photos, artifacts, newspaper clippings and film footage, showing the rise and fall of South Africa’s era of segregation and oppression. It is regarded as a beacon of hope and allows visitors to experience the racial segregation that occurred during apartheid.

Display at Apartheid Museum. /VCG Photo

To do the museum justice, schedule one-and-a-half to two hours here. The sheer volume of information could make it an overwhelming experience.

Nelson Mandela Square: A shopping heaven in Johannesburg

The square, originally known as Sandton Square, has become a popular shopping and dining heaven in Gauteng, Johannesburg. Situated at the center of Nelson Mandela Square, the 20-foot-tall bronze statue of the anti-apartheid revolutionary was unveiled in 2004 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of democracy in the country.

Nelson Mandela Square, Johannesburg, South Africa. /Photo via Gauteng Tourism Authority.

There is a huge shopping mall surrounding the statue, bustling from morning to evening, where visitors could flock to for the best shopping experience in the city and have memorable dining moments at some of the special restaurants here. In particular, a unique gift and souvenir store called “Jacana” stocks a wonderful selection of handcrafted South African crafts including beadwork, traditional embroidery and many other extraordinary products.

Krugersdorp Game Reserve: Enter the world of South Africa’s wildlife

Located at about a 40-minute drive from central Johannesburg, the Krugersdorp Game Reserve is a popular site to get closer to real South African wildlife and is definitely worth a visit. Guests could travel through the park in vehicles or on horseback to view animals such as giraffes, elephants, zebras and hippos. Visitors can especially watch the lions being fed every Sunday morning between 10 to 11 a.m.

Lions in the Krugersdorp Game Reserve. /VCG Photo

In addition, with over 30 different mammal species and over 200 bird species, the park might be one of the best places to enter the real world of South Africa’s wildlife. The best suggestion for travelers is to buy the group tour as you will be accompanied by an experienced guide who knows the park and the best possible spots to find the different animals.

Lying on the Highveld plateau, Johannesburg shares a subtropical highland climate while the temperature is usually mild.

China opened a new visa application service center in Johannesburg in 2015. It is the first visa service center on the African continent in a bid to make it easier for more South Africans to travel to China.

Johannesburg skyline with Hillbrow Tower, Gauteng Province, South Africa. /VCG Photo‍

Meanwhile, the Beijing-Johannesburg direct flight is now equipped with a Boeing 777-300ER and departs from Beijing for Johannesburg every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday, and returns every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The China-Africa direct flights facilitate people-to-people exchanges, help Chinese enterprises tap into the African market and also boost China-Africa tourism.

Johannesburg is now the financial and industrial metropolis of South Africa and has gradually become a vibrant and pulsating city to attract more visitors internationally.