10 fun facts about Johannesburg

Johannesburg exists because of one thing: gold. When the world’s richest gold reef was discovered on the Witwatersrand in 1886, a bustling tented mining camp exploded into a city almost overnight, earning the city the nickname "eGoli" (Place of Gold), but it tells only half the story. 

It is the largest major city in the world that is not built on a river, lake, or coastline. Its existence is purely dictated by geology, not easy access to trade routes or water. 

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The gold that built the city still runs deep. The Mponeng Gold Mine, located south-west of the city, is officially the deepest operating mine in the world.

Its vertical shafts plunge to depths of 4 kilometres (around 2.5 miles) below the surface, operating in rock where temperatures reach 60°C and beyond, requiring massive cooling systems. It also takes an hour and a half to get to the bottom.

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Sitting at approximately 1,753 meters (5,751 feet) above sea level, Johannesburg is notably higher than Denver, Colorado, which famously calls itself the "Mile High City".

This high altitude contributes to Jozi's famous afternoon thunderstorms and, interestingly, means that water boils at a slightly lower temperature here.

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In the early 1990s, as South Africa transitioned out of apartheid, a revolutionary sound emerged from the townships of Johannesburg, specifically Soweto: Kwaito.

Blending slowed-down house beats with African rhythms, heavy basslines, and lyrics in township slang, Kwaito was the voice of the "Born Frees", a defiant, stylish, and celebratory genre that redefined post-apartheid youth culture.

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At the mining-themed Gold Reef City, you'll find the Tower of Terror. This inverted vertical drop coaster delivers a spine-compressing plunge into an old mine shaft and is famous for subjecting riders to a staggering 6.3 G-force, ranking it among the most intense amusement park rides globally.

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The Joburg skyline is dominated by the striking, cylindrical Telkom Tower (formerly Hillbrow Tower). At 269 metres (883 feet) tall, this communication tower is the tallest structure of its kind and remains one of the most visible and recognisable landmarks across the entire African continent. 

The city’s skyline is dotted with several iconic high-rise landmarks. Among them are the 223-metre Carlton Centre and the iconic, hollow-core Ponte City Apartments, rising 173 metres above the inner city. Up in Sandton, The Leonardo takes top honours at 234 metres (768 feet), holding the title of the tallest building in South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa.

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Joburg is a city that loves to host. The iconic FNB Stadium (also known as Soccer City, shaped like a traditional African calabash) is the largest stadium in Africa by seating capacity. It can accommodate nearly 95,000 spectators and was the proud host of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final.

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Just a short drive outside the city, the Cradle of Humankind UNESCO World Heritage Site holds some of the planet's most profound secrets.

This area contains the largest concentration of human ancestor fossils in the world, including the famous "Mrs Ples", accounting for nearly 40% of the world's known hominid fossils. It is literally where the story of humanity began.

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For a concentrated dose of history, visit Vilakazi Street in Soweto. This modest road is the only street on the planet to have been home to two Nobel Peace Prize laureates: Nelson Mandela (whose house is now the popular Mandela House Museum) and Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu. It stands as an unmatched symbol of the struggle for and triumph of democracy.

Also read: 9 places to discover Mandela's legacy in Johannesburg

Despite being a sprawling urban metropolis, Johannesburg is widely considered the largest man-made forest in the world. Early settlers and miners, keen to provide timber and create a more habitable environment on the dusty highveld, embarked on massive planting campaigns.

The result? A stunning, dense canopy of over 10 million trees that cloaks the city, turning satellite views of Joburg into a patchwork of emerald green.

Also read: The 7 best green spaces in Johannesburg