About Durban
Bergtheil Museum
This 19th-century farmhouse, a national monument, contains an interesting collection of photographs, documents and artifacts relating to 1848 German settlers. Monday-Friday 8 am-1 pm and 2-5 pm. 16 Queens Ave., off Kings Avenue, Westville. Phone 203-7107.
Campbell Collections
The Campbell Collections comprise the Killie Campbell Africana Library, Mashu Museum of Ethnology, William Campbell Furniture and Art Collection and the Jo Thorpe Collection of African Art. The museum is a must-see if you want to understand the English influence in Durban. Anthropologist Dr. Margaret Roach Campbell created one of South Africa's finest private libraries of Africana. The daughter of sugar baron Sir Marshall Campbell, she also collected superb examples of African culture, including musical instruments, beadwork, pottery, weapons and costumes. A set of 250 paintings of tribal dress by local artist Barbara Tyrell completes the Mashu Museum of Ethnology. Tuesday and Thursday 8 am-1 pm. Guided tours by appointment. 229 Marriott Road (at corner of Marriott and Essenwood roads, Berea), Durban. Phone 207-3711.
Durban Cultural and Documentation Centre
Documents the history of the Indian community. Includes information about indentured Indians and Gandhi in South Africa and has displays of cultural artifacts, paintings, culinary art, traditional clothing and jewelry. The staff is very helpful, and the center is the occasional venue for lectures and concerts featuring traditional Indian music. Open Monday-Friday 7:30 am-4 pm. Groups of 10 or more should call in advance. Corner of Epsom Road and Derby Street, Durban. Phone 309-7559.
KwaMuhle Museum
If you want to know what life was like for Africans under apartheid, visit KwaMuhle. This local landmark, built in 1929, was headquarters of the notorious Native Administration Department, the place where white policy-makers controlled the lives of the African population in the city. The name, KwaMuhle (Zulu for "place of the good one"), was given to the first manager of the department, who reputedly rescued and repatriated 7,000 Zulu men who would have been stranded in South Africa's Transvaal at the outbreak of the Anglo-Boer War.
Despite its name, cruel and inhumane treatment was meted out to hundreds of African men who went to the department seeking permits to work in the city. The museum features permanent and temporary exhibits. It's a must-see for any visitor, and don't be put off by its location, which is across the street from a huge parking lot where hundreds of taxi-vans gather to pick up city workers and shuttle them to various neighborhoods. Monday-Saturday 8:30 am-4 pm. Free. There's a gift shop on-site, and it features a wonderful selection of area handicrafts, including a boxed Nativity scene with Joseph, Mary and the baby Jesus outfitted in Zulu beads and sackcloth. 130 Ordnance Road, Durban. Phone 300-6156.
Natural Science Museum
Vast arrays of displays are featured, including a life-size reconstruction of Tyrannosaurus rex, a reconstructed dodo and the mummy of Peten-Amen, who lived in Egypt some 2,300 years ago. Focus is mainly on animals, birds and reptiles. Educational programs and films are presented from time to time. Open Monday-Saturday 8:30 am-4 pm, Sunday and public holidays 11 am-4 pm. First Floor, Durban City Hall, Smith Street, Durban. Phone 311-2256. |
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Bust of Gandhi
Mohandas Gandhi worked as a lawyer in Durban for more than 20 years. A bust of him is right inside the door leading to the Tourist Junction. 160 Pine St., Durban.
City Hall
Completed in 1910, this structure is an example of Edwardian neo-Baroque architecture, and with its distinctive dome, resembles the Belfast City Hall. Inside, you'll find polished wooden floors, intricate stained glass, wrought-iron balustrades, marble pillars and ornate arches. On the second floor of the building is the Durban Art Gallery, the setting for international and South African art collections. Guided tours can be arranged. The Natural Science Museum is also housed in the building. West Street, Durban. Phone 311-111.
De Gama Clock
The Portuguese community installed the clock in 1897 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the first sight of Durban by the famous Portuguese explorer, Vasco de Gama, in 1497. Take a close look at the dragons, owls and the many other Victorian accessories that adorn the clock. You'll find the clock on the bayside of the Victoria Embankment at a midpoint between Jonsson and Mona roads.
Dick King Statue
On Gardiner Street is the equestrian statue of Dick King, commemorating his 600-mi/966-km ride to Grahamstown in 1842 to advise the British that Durban was under siege. King Street, Kings Hall, Kings Mansion, Kingsway, Kingsmead Stadium, Kingsborough and King's Ford are named after him.
Maydon Wharf Sugar Terminal
At the western end of the Durban bay are three enormous silos that hold as much as 500,000 tons of refined sugar—you can't miss them. Sugar from these silos is loaded onto cargo ships and transported from Durban's harbor to destinations all over the world. No visitor to the city should miss the opportunity to take a guided tour of the terminal—sugar is to Durban what gold is to Johannesburg. Open Monday-Friday 8:30 am-4:30 pm. Tours at the following times: 8:30-9:45 am, 10-11:15 am, 11:30 am-12:45 pm and 2-3:15 pm. 57 Maydon Road, Durban. Phone 301-0331.
Rickshaw-pullers
The colorful rickshaws that you see along the beachfront are almost a landmark in and of themselves. The role of the rickshaw-puller in Durban has changed with time, from that of providing everyday transport to tourist attraction. Sugar magnate Sir Walter Campbell brought them to the area in 1893. He needed a way to transport his wife around. By 1904, as many as 2,000 rickshaw-pullers operated in Durban, ferrying workers and shoppers with their purchases. However, between 1962 and 1977, rickshaws gradually began to disappear. Today, less than two dozen operate along the beachfront and none in the city. Nevertheless, a short jaunt in one of these man-drawn carriages delights children and adults alike.
The Cenotaph
Located outside City Hall, The Cenotaph is a 36-ft/11-m obelisk that's dedicated to fallen World War I soldiers. Made of granite with ceramic decorations of angels carrying the spirit of a fallen warrior, the warrior's tomb and a sarcophagus bearing the name of the dead are on the top step below the obelisk.
The Royal Hotel
The Royal is a quintessential landmark in Durban. It has undergone a number of transformations since it opened in 1842. The first Royal was made of wattle and daub, and the walls were strengthened with stones. In 1848, Prince Alfred, the second son of Queen Victoria, stayed in the hotel. After his visit, the name changed to the Royal Hotel. The Royal was rebuilt in 1870, then again in 1880, and further changes were made in 1956. Cecil Rhodes, Mark Twain, Paul Kruger, Bobby and Edward Kennedy, and the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York are among the prominent guests who have stayed there. 267 Smith St., Durban. Phone 689-2221. http://www.theroyal.co.za. |
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 Durban, a city of more than 2 million, bills itself as the "Playground of the Zulu Kingdom." Your understanding of the Zulu people, both past and present, will be broadened by a visit. Shaka Zulu, the founder of the Zulu nation, remains a powerful symbolic figure there, and you might catch a glimpse of the present-day Zulu king, Goodwill Zwelithini. He occasionally attends meetings at (where else?) the Royal Hotel. Built in 1845 and granted royal appointment in 1860 by Queen Victoria's second son, Prince Alfred, the Royal can count among its guests Cecil John Rhodes, Mark Twain, Margaret Thatcher and Nelson Mandela.
If you're interested in learning about the country's apartheid era, stop in the Kwa-Muhle Museum. Learn about the enforced carrying of passes by all African men, and from 1952, African women older than 16.
Some of Durban's incredible diversity can also be sampled at the Jumah Mosque (largest in the Southern Hemisphere) and Hindu temples. And strolling along the Golden Mile will give you even more insight into the cultural hodgepodge that makes up this part of South Africa. |
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 Durban is situated on the southwestern seaboard of South Africa, bordered by the Indian Ocean on the east and by the Drakensberg mountains to its west, and to the south lies the Atlantic Ocean.
There are two main streets that lead to and from the Durban beachfront, which is the place that holds the most interest for visitors. West Street runs to the beachfront and Smith Street leads away. Residential neighborhoods ring the city center, and the Berea, in particular, is one that appeals to many tourists. The Berea is the range of hills on the inland side of Durban. It's home to artists and craftspeople. |
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Fact FileEstablished: 1835
Estimated Population: 3,5
Ethnic Groups: Black 68.3%, Indian or Asians19.90%, White 8.98%, Coloured 2.82%,
Literacy: 84.6%
Government: Republic
Points of interest: Durban Waterfront is host to many events including the annual and prestigious Mr Price Pro Surfing Championship; City Hall which was completed in 1910; The old station which currently houses Tourist Junction and was built in 1892; Elephant House at 745 Ridge Road which is the oldest house in Durban having been built in 1850.
GeographyBeing situated on the south-eastern seaboard of South Africa in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban is adjacent to the Indian Ocean in the east, and is bordered by the Drakensberg Mountains in the west and to the south lies the Atlantic Ocean.
Durban Weather
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Durban, South Africa
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Temp:
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20°C
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Wind Chill:
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20°C
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Humidity:
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73%
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