Historic

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South Africa's National Monuments

South African national monuments are a window to our past, illuminating who we are and the people and events that have shaped our history.

Traditional candy-stripes of the Green Point lighthouse.

Green Point lighthouse, Cape Town

From 1824 onwards, ships entering Table Bay at night have relied on the Green Point lighthouse to bring them in.

The Cape Columbine lighthouse on the West Coast.

Cape Columbine lighthouse, West Coast

In the world of classically designed lighthouses, they don’t come much better than the Cape Columbine lighthouse, which looms proudly over the West Coast Peninsula.

Doring Bay lighthouse in West Coast mist.

Doring Bay lighthouse, West Coast

The Doring Bay lighthouse originally presided over a bustling local crayfish industry – now whales and wine have joined the list of local attractions.

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Top 10

Historical sites in the North West

Vredefort Dome

The location of a meteor impact some 2-million-years ago, the Vredefort Dome is a World Heritage Site that attracts visitors who enjoy hiking, history and outdoor adventure.
Taung

A satellite location of the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site, Taung gained international fame when the Taung Skull, said to be a crucial link in tracing the development of man, was found there...
Mafikeng Museum

Exhibitions at the museum focus on the famous Siege of Mafikeng and the history and culture of the area, as well as one of the North West's most famous residents - Sol Plaatje. The Mafikeng cemetery...
Boekenhoutfontein Farm

From 1862 – 1903 the farm was the property of State President Paul Kruger and is now a historical landmark in the province.
Historic dwellings, Potchefstroom

There are some fine examples of late-Victorian/early Edwardian homes in Potchefstroom, some of which date back to the early 1900s. The Dutch Reformed Church is another major architectural...
Groot Marico

Discover a town frozen in time, where mampoer (peach brandy) is brewed by locals, tobacco fields bake in the sun, a manual telephone exchange still operates, one of the country's most famous authors...
Tswaing Crater

Formed by a meteorite impact some 220 000 years ago, the Tswaing Crater its visitor centre includes a museum, exhibition space and educational centre.
The Lost City of Mogale

Visit the ancestral home of Chief Mogale (1810 - 1869) and his Ba-Po people. Here the remains of Tswana/Sotho and Ndebele Iron Age settlements may be seen. Other interesting objets d'art include a...
The Klerksdorp Museum

Housed in a former prison, the Kerksdorp Museum's sandstone building dates back to the 1880s and houses exhibitions that deal with social history and heritage of this far-flung corner of South...
Schweizer-Reneke

The town of Schweizer-Reneke is home to the first Dutch Reformed Church to be built in the former Transvaal Republic. It is also famous for Bushman paintings that date back 20 000 years which lie 2km...