Freedom Park

The site was opened in stages between 2007 and 2013 and is built around the principle of inclusion. The Wall of Names is a 697-metre granite wall engraved with the names of more than 90,000 South Africans and others who died in conflicts including pre-colonial wars, the South African War, both World Wars, the Korean War and the struggle against apartheid — a deliberate counter-narrative to memorials that previously honoured only one side.

S'khumbuto — meaning ‘memorial’ in siSwati — is the spiritual heart of the park. Its centrepiece is the Sanctuary, an open eternal flame surrounded by a curved amphitheatre, with a Gallery of Leaders and the Lesaka (a granite-floored circle representing the resting place of the unknown freedom fighter). 200 vertical reeds rise from the hillside to symbolise the connection between the living and the ancestors.

The //hapo museum (the name comes from the Khoi proverb ‘a dream is not a dream until it is shared by the whole community’) presents 3.6 billion years of southern African history across seven interactive exhibits. It is one of the most ambitious museum builds in post-apartheid South Africa and works particularly well for older children and teenagers.

The park is best done with a guide. Tours run on the hour and last around 90 minutes, walking from the Lesaka through the Sanctuary and along the Wall of Names. The view from the hilltop directly faces the Voortrekker Monument across the valley — a deliberate architectural conversation between two very different visions of South African history.

Practical info: Freedom Park is open daily from 08:00 to 16:30. Adult entry is around R150, children R65, with guided tours included. The site is a 10-minute drive from central Pretoria and pairs naturally with the Voortrekker Monument and the Union Buildings on a full-day Pretoria itinerary.