ACTIVITIES AND ATTRACTIONS:
Africana Library
Du Toitspan Rd. Containing missionary Robert Moffat’s personal copy of his SeTswana translation of the Bible, the library is a rich repository of books, manuscripts and photographs portraying life in the Northern Cape. Tel 053 830 6247. (08:00-12:45; 13:30-16:30)
Alexander McGregor Memorial Museum
Chapel Str. The original Museum was built in 1907 in memory of Alexander McGregor, a former mayor. Today, as a satellite of the McGregor Museum, it houses new displays on Kimberley’s suburban and township development. Tel 053 839 2700.
Art Gallery
In the Kimberley Mine Museum, it contains a set of De Beers-commissioned watercolours depicting Victorian life in Kimberley
Battlefields Route
The many battlefields of the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902) can be explored on the well marked N12 route.
Big Hole and Kimberley Mine Museum
Tucker Str. Visit the largest hand-dug hole in the world and its museum complex that has undergone a R52-million revamp
Cathedral Church of St Cyprian
Du Toitspan Rd. The elegant building, consecrated in 1908, has the longest nave in the country.Tel 053 833 3437.
The City Hall
Cnr Old Main Str & Transvaal Rd. In Roman Corinthian style, the City Hall was designed by F Carstairs Rogers. Built in 1899, it was completed just before the Anglo-Boer War. Tel 053 832 7242.
De Beers Head Office
Stockdale Str. Once the headquarters of Barney Barnato’s Kimberley Central Diamond Mining Company and a national monument since 1985, it has been in use by De Beers since the company’s amalgamation under Rhodes in 1888. Not open to the public. Tel 053 839 4270.
Flamingo Casino
Next to Kimberley Golf Club. The casino offers an elegant leisure experience with its Victorian-inspired décor. The casino itself is cash free and punters use state-of-the-art smart-card technology. Squires Grill and Bar features a sports bar and a feature grill and topping off the complex is a 200 people conference centre. Accommodation is available at the 90 room Flamingo Road Lodge.
Historical Walks
Walks The Belgravia Historical Walk takes in 33 of the city’s most historic sites and The Great Kimberley North Walk shows off 42 more sites of interest. Contact the Diamantveld Visitor Centre for maps and more information.
Honoured Dead Memorial Dalham & Oliver Rds. Designed by Sir Herbert Baker and built at CJ Rhodes’ behest to honour those who died defending Kimberley during The Siege. ‘Long Cecil’, the De Beers manufactured field gun used during the Siege, is mounted on the stylobate surrounded by shells from the Boer ‘Long Tom’. Of Zimbabwean sandstone, it bears an inscription by Rudyard Kipling and bronze plaques by Kipling’s father.
Kimberley Club
Du Toitspan Rd. A national monument since 1984, the Kimberley Club was established in August 1881. Among its more illustrious past members, it counts CJ Rhodes, Leander Starr Jameson, Charles Dunnell Rudd, Barney Barnato, Sir Ernest and Harry Oppenheimer. Tel 053 832 4224.
McGregor Museum
In the Sanarorium, Atlas Str. A national monument, built in 1897 at Rhodes’ instigation as an hotel and health resort. Rhodes’s home during the four-month siege, it was refurbished and renamed the Hotel Belgrave. A convent school run by the Sisters of the Holy Family from 1933, it became the McGregor Museum’s headquarters in 1971. Displays include natural history, the Siege of Kimberley, a Hall of Religions and the acclaimed Ancestors Gallery depicting 3 million years of human history in the Northern Cape. Tel 053 842 0099.
TOURIST INFORMATION:
Diamantveld Visitor Centre
121 Bultfontein Rd
PO Box 1976, Kimberley 8300
Tel 053 832 7298
Fax 053 832 7211
Email:dikgang.stock@fbdm.co.za
NORTHERN CAPE ACCOMMODATION KIMBERLEY
KIMBERLEY
The city of Kimberley was named in honour of the Earl of Kimberley, British colonial secretary in 1873. Before then Kimberley was nothing more than a digger's camp on the farm Vooruitzicht where on 16 July 1871 a servant by the name of Damon, found three diamonds on a hill. This hill became the now famous Kimberley "Big Hole"
Kimberley attained municipal status in 1877 and city status in 1912. Kimberley was connected by rail to Cape Town in 1885, to Johannesburg in 1906 and Bloemfontein in 1908. The first racecourse was opened in 1872 and in 1882 Kimberley became the first urban community in the southern hemisphere to enjoy electric street lighting. An electric tram service was introduced in 1887.
Modern Kimberley is a commercial, distribution, administrative, manufacturing and educational centre for the Northern Cape Province and is the official capital of the province.
Northern Cape Spas, Northern Cape Attractions, Northern Cape Province, Northern Cape Accommodation, Northern Cape Guest Houses, Northern Cape Resorts, Kimberley Northern Cape | Kimberley Big Hole
The "Big Hole" in Kimberley was was once a hill called Colesberg Kopje. The discovery of diamonds in the area resulted in one of the biggest diamond rushes ever seen in South Africa. With the influx of some 50 000 diamond diggers into the area, the hill was soon flattened, but the digging did not stop until the largest man made hole in the world resulted, almost entirely created by pick and shovel.
During its lifetime approximately 28 million tons of ground was brought to the surface and 14.5 million carats of diamonds was recovered.
Today the "Big Hole" has a surface area of 15 hectares, with a mean diameter of 457 metres and a perimeter of 1.6 kilometer. The mine initially was more than 1 100 metres deep, but water and rockfalls now covers most of the bottom up to 260 metres from the surface. The Big Hole now is officially part of the Kimberley Mine Museum and has been revamped in 2006 .
© South African Tourism
The thousands of diggers who made the Big Hole and other excavations are commemorated by a fountain, designed by Herman Wald, in the gardens of the city's civic centre.
This fountain monument is but one of many other monuments and statues found in and around Kimberley.
The memorial to the honoured dead on Memorial Hill, at the junction of five roads, is Kimberley's premier memorial. It was designed by Sir Herbert Baker who later designed the Union Buildings in Pretoria. It is in honour of the people of Kimberley who died during the 103 day siege of Kimberley by the Boers during the Anglo-Boer War.
Other well known monuments are the McGregor Memorial Museum, the equestrian statue iof Cecil John Rhodes in du Toitspan Road, The Halway Hotel, The Star of the West pub and the statue of Sister Henrietta Stockdale in the grounds of St Cypian's cathedral.
© South African Tourism
Kimberley Accommodation | Kimberley Hotels | Kimberley Guesthouses | Kimberley Self Catering | Kimberley Apartments & Villas | Kimberley Game Reserves | Kimberley Lodges | Kimberley Backpackers | Kimberley Resorts | Kimberley Safari Lodges
THE KIMBERLEY CLUB
The Kimberley Club, famous since 1881, is a Historical 4 star Boutique Hotel in the Kimberley CBD area. The Kimberley Club has a tradition all its own with stories not confined to its buildings - stories of its members and of unique associations. It's seen the "comings and goings" of some of the foremost personalities in the world - has entertained sovereigns, princes & princesses, Governors and high commissioners and has housed legendary figures whose vision and energy have pioneered new territories.
ACCOMMODATION IN KIMBERLEY
Accommodation in Kimberley
NORTHERN CAPE ACCOMMODATION TOWNS & CITIES
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EDGERTON HOUSE
In the historic suburb of Belgravia, opposite the McGregor Museum, is Edgerton House, a listed Historical Home. Owned by Dr Podlas and Mr Cambouris, who's passion for the History and old world era of the diamond diggings has been recreated at Edgerton House.
