Constitution Hill
The old prison that held Gandhi and Mandela, now the seat of the Constitutional Court.
Duration
2 hrs 30 min – 4 hrs
Best time
In the morning
Open
Every day
Entry price
To confirm
The site was a prison for a century, and its distinction is to have held both sides: Gandhi was detained here in 1908 for resisting the pass laws, Mandela in 1962, and thousands of unnamed people for pass offences.
The Fort, the women's section and Number Four, for black prisoners, can be visited. The South African Constitutional Court, built in 2004 from the bricks of the demolished prison, sits in the middle: a deliberate choice, justice placed where injustice was administered. Hearings are public.
Getting there
Between Braamfontein and Hillbrow, north of the centre. The red tourist bus stops here, or take a taxi.
What the price covers
paid entry to the site and old prisons, rate to be confirmed
Rules on site
The surrounding area is not one to walk alone: arrive and leave by vehicle. Constitutional Court hearings are public and free when it sits, which the desk does not always mention.