Places of Interest - South Africa

"kimberley"

introduction

Kimberley is the capital of the province of Northern Cape and is called the diamond city of South Africa. This is because in the late 19th century a large field was found that would set the city on fire because of the discovery of diamonds. Here you can see the largest human digging depth in the world, but also bring back bars and cafe’s that bring you back to the old times. It is a mix of a Western with the Wild West from the United States and the Outback from Australia. In addition to the diamond history, the city is also known for its 124 days of encirclement during the second Boer War in 1899. In and around Kimberley there are countless memorials and places that revive these times. Half of the residents of Kimberley speak Afrikaans while about a fifth speak the regional "Tswana".

highlights

De groote gat ("that big hole")

The complex around the largest excavated hole in the world has undergone a sample renovation in recent years to make it the tourist attraction it is now. In addition to the super modern diamond visitor center and the "hole" itself, there is a counterfeit old mining town as Kimberley should have looked like in the late 19th century. A pumping station, a saloon, church and numerous shops with old carts in front of the door and the tram. With your ticket you can view all these sights after your tour at your leisure. In addition, there is a restaurant including a large terrace (see "food and drinks") where you can enjoy a quiet drink or snack in "old" style of course.

The tour starts with a 20-minute very interesting film about the ups and downs of Kimberley in general and his diamond history in particular. A guide takes you to the ledge where you can see the dug hole (what used to be a hill ironically). It is about 800 meters wide and the actual hole is now filled with groundwater so that you can only look about 150 meters deep. After you have passed some original attributes (such as tractors, flatteners, washing machines, houses and toilets) you will be taken with a lift in a re-created but very truthful mine shaft. Here you will be briefly informed about the ins and outs of a miner in those days under the ground. Finally, there is the real museum section with information about the soil layers, the dates, the world at that time in general and a very inventive safe where about 30,000 diamonds are stored. The "Eureka" diamond and the largest diamond ever found in South Africa ("the lady 616") are replicas.

McGregor House Museum: see museums.

Other attractions:

The "Wildebeest Pit Rock Art Tourism Center" and, among other things, the "William Humprey's Art Gallery".

You can book a (walking) tour at the information center through the oldest township of South Africa "Galeshewe" which lies just northwest of the center of Kimberley. Here you can admire, among others, Robert Sobukwe (founder of the PAC). There is also a hostel situated. You can also make a "war" tour on the south-facing N12 near Kimberley. You can visit the war memorial in the city itself, but the highlight is a visit to the war site including museum at "Magersfontein" about 35 km south of Kimberley.

history

In 1866, Erasmus Jacobs found a white stone near the Orange River, on the “de Kalk” plaza. It turned out to be a 21.25 carat diamond that would go down in history as the Eureka diamond. Later an even larger 83.50 carat diamond was found, known as the Star of South Africa, near the hill Colesberg Kopje. This was the starting signal for the so-called New Rush. Miners flocked with thousands and founded here republic West-Greece, also known as Republic Klipdrift or the Graversrepubliek. The area was claimed by the Greekwa, the British Cape Colony, the Orange Free State and the South African Republic (Transvaal). Governor Keate of the Natalkolonie denounced the Greekwap captain Nicolaas Waterboer as rightful owner, who put himself under British protection where West-Greece became a British colony. The diamond seekers began to dig on the hill, which in time changed into a hole. The mine has become known as that Great Hole (The Big Hole), and around it the new city of New Rush has arisen. In 1873 the city was given the new name Kimberley, to the British secretary for the Colony, the Earl or Kimberley. The young British fortune-hunters Cecil Rhodes and Barney Barnato earned an enormous fortune in this time, and Rhodes' firm De Beers still holds a world monopoly on the diamond market today.

During the Second Boer War Kimberley was besieged by the Boers from 15 October 1899 until 15 February 1900. Around 124 days, the residents of the diamond village and Cecil Rhodes were sealed off from the rest of the world. On December 11, 1899, the largest and best-known of several battles between the Boers and Britons was fought south of Kimberley near Magerfontein. Here the Boers defeated, using a very British brigade, using trenches. In 1902 Ernest Oppenheimer came to Kimberley and became as far as mayor. In 1957 he was succeeded by his son Harry Frederick Oppenheimer, who with six billion rand was the richest man in South Africa. In 2014, Kimberley became a university city with the opening of the Sol Plaatje University, named after the black South African intellectual Sol Plaatje.

tips & advice (2015)

Kimberley has a small airport. It is located about 7 km south of the city center. The train station is on the edge of the eastern border of the center. Kimberley is about in the middle of the frequently used railway that runs from Johannesburg to Cape Town. The bus station, on the other hand, is more than 6 km north of the city; luckily many buses also stop at the parking lot next to the information center. Here is also (just like next to the train station) a ticket office where you can buy bus tickets.

Kimberley - Johannesburg: with Intercape or Greyhound you can travel by bus between Kimberley and Johannesburg where the first mentioned is slightly cheaper. Variability is in the departure and arrival times, days and class. I bought a ticket for the Greyhound that departured at 08:15 and arrived in Johannesburg Parkstation at 15:15. Cost 385R.

Name: "McGregor House"

Address: Atlas Street

Price: 25R

Time: 09:00 - 17:00 (closed Sunday morning)

Content:

This large colonial building is located in the southwest of the city within walking distance of the center. Built by the "Beers" in 1897 as a sanatorium, the building was used as a nun house and hotel. During the encirclement of Kimberley at the time of the Boer War, Cecil Rhodes stayed in this building. The museum focuses on the history of Kimberley in general but also on the life, history and nature of the Karoo area. The various world wars are covered as well as the complete story of the city during the encirclement of 124 days of siege by the Boers and the battle for "Magersfontein". There is a chapel, you can take a look in one of the classroom rooms from the nuns' time and the rooms where Rhodes stayed are still left authentic.

On the "Big Hole" terrain the "Occidental" Grilbar is present at the reconstructed mining complex. Go back to the times of the mines and find yourself in a saloon-like bar with dark wooden benches, floors and bar and order a whiskey or ice cold beer. You can also order food and take a seat on the terrace outside.

Name: "The Big Hole" caravan park

Address: The Big Hole complex

Price: 80R (per tent) + 55R (per person)

Content:

Perfectly located is this campsite-park where you can come with a caravan or tent on the complex itself of the biggest attraction of the city - "the big hole". There are two Victorian red brick buildings in the middle of the lawn where the simple but adequate washingw-rooms are located. There is electricity, there are some small lampposts and there are some outside watertaps. It is nice that there are some trees to shelter from the sun during the day. Reception is available from 06:00 until 15:00. After that, you may be the only one here. The showers are fine. There is no WIFI. There is a fence around the complex but that will not stop a big bad guy and safety is perhaps the biggest disadvantage here. There is no surveillance available.

TIPS:

The most popular backpack hostel of Kimberley is "Gum Tree Lodge" hostel. The problem is that this is - just like the other campsite – is about 4 km outside the center of the city.