Kimberley

Municipality

Municipality: Sol Plaatje Local Municipality
District Municipality: Frances Baard District Municipality

Kimberley Tourism Bureau

Diamantveld Tourist Info Centre
Kimberley

Phone number: 053-832-7298
Fax number: 053-832-7211
Email: Email inquiry
Web: See the website

Kimberley is named after the Earl of Kimberley, who was the British Secretary of State for Colonies

Attractions

Also see the neighbouring towns

Kimberley offers all the attractions of a smaller city. The Big Hole and mine museums are the major attractions. The Big Hole was originally a hill (Coleberg Kopje) dug out so deep that it still is the largest hole in the world made by manual labour. The home of Sol Plaatjes, journalist, author and founder member of the ANC is in Galeshewe, a suburb of Kimberley. At the first flying school in Africa, a replica of the Compton-Paterson box-kite biplane that was used for training can be viewed. More than 8'000 photographs of the early days of Kimberley can be viewed in the Duggan-Cronin Gallery. There are also photos of African tribesman in their traditional clothing before the time when they adapted European clothes. The William Humphreys Art galelry was founded in 1952 and is today the only Grade 1 art gallery in South Africa. Tribal and traditional culture can be viewed at the Khu! and Kwe San Cultural Centre. For war enthusiasts there are museums for the Anglo-Boer War. There is a museum paying tribute to the Magersfontein Battle fought during the siege of Kimberley. An Africana Museum is hosued in Dutoitspan Road.

TOP

History

In 1870 diamonds were found in the mud brick walls of the farmhouse on the farm Bultfontein. The house was quickly destroyed in search for more diamonds. Today the big hole stands on the location where the house once stood. The mining town developed around these mining activities, and a few kilometers away another mining town was established, called Beaconsfield, named after the Earl of Beaconsfield (Benjamin Disraeli). The owner of the farm, Nicolaas de Beer sold his farm for the development of the farm. This family name was used when Cecil John Rhodes formed a mining company and named it De Beers Consolidated Mines Ltd. Kimberley became a municipality in 1877 and joined in 1912 by Beaconsfield to become a city. In 1882 a tramway connected the two mining towns of Kimberley and Beaconsfield. The first electric street lights in South Africa were in use here. In 1892 the first World Exhibition outside London was held in Kimberley.

TOP

Climate

Today's Weather Report for Kimberley

TOP