Ansteys Tower, Johannesburg

Ansteys Tower is a historic gem amongst the modern skyscrapers of Johannesburg鈥檚 Central Business District, known locally as Newtown. Opened in 1937, it is an 82 meter high, asymmetrical art deco construction. The stone clad frontage has a cubist element, resembling an abstract stack of bricks. It is named after Norman Anstey, the owner of an elegant department store which once occupied the first four floors of the building. Anstey鈥檚 was renowned for its elaborate window dressings, seen through plate glass shop frontages. Whilst the store has now closed, many of the fittings still remain, including floor to ceiling mirrors and brass shop fittings.

The building was the tallest in Africa when it was first opened, and is now a National Monument, meaning that its architectural features are protected by the government. In addition to its aesthetic value, the tower has also played a part in the troubled history of South Africa. The residential portion of the building was once home to Cecil Williams, an actor, playwright and a member of Umkhonto we Sizwe 鈥� the radical wing of the African National Congress (ANC) political party. Nelson Mandela was also a member, and it was whilst posing as Williams鈥� driver in 1962 that he was captured and imprisoned.

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Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: Ansteys Tower
Sight Location: Johannesburg, South Africa (See walking tours in Johannesburg)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Johannesburg Introduction Walking Tour

Walking Tours in Johannesburg, South Africa

Create Your Own Walk in Johannesburg

Creating your own self-guided walk in Johannesburg is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

Johannesburg Introduction Walking Tour

Johannesburg, or Joburg, or "City of Gold", as it is often informally called, is South Africa's largest city. The area's original inhabitants included hunter-gatherers from the San tribes and the Ndebele, a tribe associated with the Zulu. A gold rush in 1884 lead to Johannesburg's founding in 1886. Within a decade, the population had grown to 100,000 inhabitants.

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Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.9 Km or 1.8 Miles

Historical Buildings Walking Tour

Since founded in 1886, following the discovery of gold on what used to be farmland, Johannesburg has evolved into an economic powerhouse of Africa. While most of the city's early buildings adopted architectural styles from its colonial parent, the British Empire, some of them also emulated the prowess of New York City. Let's take a closer look at some of these construction marvels.

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Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 0.7 Km or 0.4 Miles

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