Heritage, Arts and Culture Tourism in the City of Tshwane

The City of Tshwane is a progressive city whose charm lies in its harmonious blend of African roots and European traditions.

It is a city where history meets 21st century style and development, where vibrant township scenes compliment modern shopping centres.

The city is a cultural city with a variety of museums, monuments, historic buildings and art centres - a lively metropolis that combines vibrant township sleepovers with a five star stay.

Cosmopolitan culture abounds in Tshwane. Arts and craft markets add a contemporary dimension to the city's colorful heritage, while a myriad of museums and monuments offer visitors a glimpse of the city's rich history.

The enduring art of bead work is preserved by designated cultural villages like Lesedi, where this living culture can be viewed.

Jazz music can be enjoyed at many venues through Tshwane. These include the State Theatre, Church Square and numerous shebeens in townships such as Atterigeville and Mamelodi, which are renowned for their jazz music.

Tourists and residents have several heritage routes to choose from in Tshwane:

Setšo Route (City of Tshwane's soul)

The best way to discover the soul of Tshwane is to follow the Setšo Route, which is specially designed to reveal the many facets of the city. Encapsulating its unique atmosphere, this is one of the most comprehensive routes available, along which 60 places of interest in the city that can be visited. Among them are the city's oldest bridge, the Volkstem Building, the Old Raadsaal and Kruger House.

Garden City Route

Tshwane's garden city route includes the classical gardens of the Union Buildings on Meintjeskop, offering dramatic and panoramic views of the cityscape. This route includes visits to a formal Victorian garden in Burgers Park, Melrose House, Church Square and the Old Cemetery. The next stop on the route brings one to Atteridgeville's Moroe Park and Ga-Mothakga Park. Other places of interest visited include the Botanical Gardens, Magnolia Dell and parks in Arcadia and Hatfield. The city prides itself in having won the prestigious Nation's in Bloom Award in 1996.

Park Heritage Route (culture on foot)

This route was established as an urban stroll to introduce visitors to Tshwane's rich and diverse cultural and natural heritage. From a mere cluster of dwellings, Tshwane has grown from humble beginnings to being the gateway of Africa today. Highlights on this route include the Melrose House Museum, Transvaal Museum and Burgers Park - one of the finest examples of a Victorian park in the country.

Struggle and Freedom Route (war and peace)

This route stretches from the Union Buildings to the graves of the Irene concentration camp and the house of the world-famous statesman General Jan Smuts. Highlights include a stop in Mamelodi, where several remnants of the apartheid struggle are on the itinerary.

The Freedom Park Trust identified a 52ha area on Salvokop in Tshwane for the site of Freedom Park, a one-stop heritage site that serves as a monument to freedom - a place of celebration of the achievement of democracy and a beacon of hope and inspiration for the future. It will include a monument, a museum and a garden of remembrance.

Knowledge and Industry Route (academic powerhouse)

The City of Tshwane is officially recognized as the academic, scientific and technological hub of the country. On this route, visitors will experience the pulse of creativity, taking them past the universities, government research institutes, museums and industrial estates.

Conservation City Route (protected natural environment)

Tshwane's mountains, ridges, valleys and plains are a mosaic of natural and cultural features, ranging from granite rocks that are 2 000 million years old to the 220 000-year-old Tswaing meteorite crater. Many of these elements are protected through a system of conservation areas.

Visitors wanting to experience the Conservation City Route can choose between three day-routes, each in different parts of Tshwane, and offering between three and four conservation areas per route.

Union Buildings and Mahlamba-Ndlopfu (headquarters of government)

Set in an attractive terraced garden with magnificent views of the city, the Union Buildings were designed by the British architect, Sir Herbert Baker to accommodate the offices of the then Prime Minister, his ministers and departments, and were completed in 1913. The Union Buildings are the administrative headquarters of the Government and still house the offices of the President. They are visible from many vantage points in the city and are visited by large numbers of visitors and tourists. Mahlamba-Ndlopfu (where the elephant stays) is the President's residence in the capital city. Built in 1940, the residence was designed in the dignified old Cape Dutch style by Gerard Moerdijk.