We spent a few hours walking around Braamfontein, one of Johannesburg’s most vibrant inner-city neighbourhoods. A lively, student-filled commercial district, it is closely connected with the University of the Witwatersrand and has become an important creative and cultural hub. The area is known for its weekend markets, art galleries, independent cafés and trendy coffee shops, and represents one of the city’s major inner-city regeneration efforts.
On the edge of Braamfontein, near Hillbrow, lies Constitution Hill, one of Johannesburg’s most important historical and human rights sites. It is home to the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the country’s highest court, and occupies a former prison complex with a dark and powerful history.
The site includes the notorious Old Fort Prison and Number Four, where political activists and prisoners, including Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi, were once detained. Today, the former prison buildings have been transformed into a living museum (🎟️ 100 ZAR), telling the story of apartheid, human rights and South Africa’s long journey towards democracy.
Walking through the old prison grounds and then into the modern Constitutional Court makes the contrast particularly striking — a place once associated with oppression has become a powerful symbol of justice, freedom and democracy.
Parking location – Johannesburg – Edenvale: 26.1427729S 28.1848257E (🚻,🚿,🏊,💦,🔌,🫧,🅿️200 ZAR)