Event information
The Joburg Hidden History Tour is a walking adventure that uncovers hidden tales of Johannesburg’s lesser-known history.
The walking tour starts three stories below ground level in one of the oldest preserved mine tunnels in the city - Ferreira’s mine. At each stop along the tour, walkers get to explore the places and characters that shaped the expansions and development of Johannesburg, making it the 'City of Gold' it is known to be today.
The route leads to the spot where Johannesburg was first proclaimed – on a piece of ‘uitvalgrond’. From there it goes to the bustling shops of Diagonal Street, a particularly important landmark in the city's history, before ending off with the magnificent buildings in Commissioner streets and surrounds.
Along the way, the guide shares lesser-known facts and interesting tidbits about the city, such as why it was that an Australian found the first nugget payable Gold, who Ignatius Ferreira and the fearsome ‘Pick Handle Mary’ were, how coffee and the first car in town are connected, what the pyrite panic that left the town deserted in 1890 was, how two doctors saved the gold mining industry, and more.
Over three and a half hours participants can expect many hidden nooks and crannies, lots of known and unknown history and anecdotes, a stop for coffee at Gandi Square, and a lot of fun.
