Constitution Hill

The hill above Braamfontein was first fortified by Paul Kruger's Boer government in 1893, and the Old Fort was converted into a prison shortly after. Over the next century it grew into a vast complex — the Old Fort for white male prisoners, Number Four for black male prisoners, and the Women's Jail for women of all races. Mahatma Gandhi was held here for passive resistance in 1908, and Nelson Mandela passed through in 1962 awaiting trial.

Self-guided and guided tours walk you through the cells, the awaiting-trial blocks, the isolation wing, and the open courtyard where prisoners were forced to perform the humiliating ‘tausa’ strip-search. Permanent exhibitions tell the story of women political prisoners, of the criminalisation of homosexuality, and of the political detainees who reshaped the country.

The Constitutional Court itself was built between 1996 and 2004 on the site of the demolished awaiting-trial block, with bricks from that prison literally reused in the court's walls. Its great wooden doors are carved with the 27 fundamental rights, the foyer is supported by columns intended to evoke trees under which traditional African justice was dispensed, and the chamber is open to the public when the court is not in session.

There is a permanent art collection of more than 200 works, two cafés, a bookshop and rotating temporary exhibitions across the campus. The Flame of Democracy — lit by Nelson Mandela on 10 December 2011 — burns at the entrance.

Practical info: Constitution Hill is open daily from 09:00 to 17:00, with guided tours at 10:00, 12:00 and 14:00. Tickets are around R75 per adult and R35 per child, with discounts for students and pensioners. The campus is wheelchair-friendly and around 90 minutes is enough for a thoughtful visit; allow longer if you plan to sit in on a court hearing.