The largest city in South Africa has some secrets you might not know about yet. Lets switch on the power and shed some light on the city and its mysteries! #PowerYourCity
Picture of the week: Johannesburg, City of Gold. #PowerYourCity
1. The city of Johannesburg is a result of the Gold rush back in the 19th century; the city was built in 1886, which makes it one of the largest but newest cities in the world.
2. Boiling an egg in Jo’burg takes one minute longer than in Cape Town or Durban. The reason for it is because Jo’burg is 2000m above sea level so the air is not as dense.
Johannesburg, Market Square, 1886
3. The City of Johannesburg is also known as Jo’burg, Jozi, or the City of Gold (because of its mining history: the city area is a source of gold and diamonds).
4. Johannesburg is a Californian city of 172 inhabitants. Indeed it was named to honor gold minors who worked in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Johannesburg, California, United States
5. Johannesburg has been rebuilt four times in the span of one century. First, it was a tented camp, then a town of tin shanties, then of four-storey Edwardian brick buildings and finally, a city of modern skyscrapers.
6. 40% of the planet’s human ancestor fossils have been discovered in the Jo’burg area, thanks to the rich archaeological site known as the Cradle of Humankind on the outskirts of the city.
7. The largest hospital in the world is Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in the Jo’burg area! It started out as the Royal Imperial Hospital in 1941, built especially for British and Commonwealth soldiers. Now it has 3,200 beds available and employs around 6,760 staff and employees!
Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, Johannesburg
8. Place for the Youth! According to Johannesburg development agency official website, 50% of the population is under the age of 24.
9. The Shaft of Terror, located at the popular amusement park of Gold Reef City, is a vertical-drop roller coaster that has the distinction of being the tallest and fastest roller coaster in Africa. It has a 47-metre drop, and a G force of over 6 Gs!
10. The Hillbrow Tower is the tallest of the entire African continent with a height of 270m.
The Hillbrow Tower, Johannesburg