The Carlton Centre (223m) has been Africa's tallest building since 1973. The basement shelters a buzzing shopping mall. For awesome city vistas, head to the observation deck at the top (entrance is via a special lift one floor below street level).
Top of Africa
Johannesburg
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
1.15 MILES
Do not leave Jo'burg without visiting Constitution Hill. One of South Africa's most important historical sites, the deeply moving and inspirational…
3.24 MILES
The Apartheid Museum illustrates the rise and fall of South Africa’s era of segregation and oppression, and is an absolute must-see. It uses a broad…
23.42 MILES
One of the most significant archaeological sites in the world, Sterkfontein Caves include a permanent hominid exhibit and a walkway down into the…
8.84 MILES
This powerful museum, named after the 12-year-old boy shot dead during the student protests in Soweto on 16 June 1976, illuminates the role of Sowetan…
28.39 MILES
Partly housed in a building that looks like a giant grassy mound on one side and shiny modern steel on the other, Maropeng is an all-in-one information…
1.21 MILES
Inaugurated in 2004, with its design based on the African concept of 'justice under a tree', the Constitutional Court is a very real symbol of modern…
11.15 MILES
A highlight of Jo'burg's northern suburbs is Liliesleaf Farm. This was the secret headquarters of the ANC (African National Congress) from 1961 until a…
11.11 MILES
Opposite one of the schools from which students marched on 16 June 1976 is this stunning open-air memorial to the bloody events that presaged the Soweto…
Nearby Johannesburg attractions
0.21 MILES
in 2002 Van der Bijl Sq was revamped and renamed Gandhi Sq in honour of Mohandas (Mahatma) Gandhi. Look out for the bronze statue representing him as a…
0.23 MILES
Inside century-old Somerset House, a former bank office, Thunder Walker is a bar/restaurant/events venue with a historic twist. The building's interior is…
0.26 MILES
The Workhorse Bronze Foundry, based in a former factory in the gritty centre of downtown Jo'burg, is where many of South Africa's top sculptors create…
0.29 MILES
One of Jozi's most noteworthy heritage buildings is this grand post office dating from 1897. It sat empty and dilapidated for years and was gutted by fire…
0.33 MILES
Founded in 1887, this version of the illustrious (and once whites- and men-only) club dates from 1904. It's now open to all, and so long as you're not…
0.34 MILES
This fine late-Edwardian building received a welcome renovation in 2012. Designed by William Hawke and William McKinlay in a mixture of neo-classical and…
0.39 MILES
Painted an unmissable acid yellow and turquoise, this art-deco building was originally a car showroom but was revamped in 2016 by the property developers…
0.45 MILES
If you're in this part of town it's worth dropping by this light-filled gallery to see what's showing in its regularly changing exhibitions by important…