Travel back in time with heritage foundation

The Time Travel – Johannesburg Station and Cathedral walking tour in August will take a look at architecture, events and various personalities that left marks on the city’s history.

Foundation spokesperson Eira Bond said that the tour will begin at Gautrain’s Park Station.

“[From there we will cross the street] to visit the foundation stones of the YMCA, then the house that became the hotel school, and the stunning Schlesinger Building before crossing Eloff Street bridge [to enter] the Johannesburg Station,” she said.

“We [will] move through the huge concourse, past platform nine where the station bomb [planted by Frederick Harris on 24 July, 1964] signalled the start of the armed revolution; and then into the old Park Station with its beautiful arches rising high above the 1928 platform area. Bring a torch to visit the famous Blue Room.”

Eloff Street was once the shopping heart of Joburg, and became synonymous with style and quality.

From there, the tour will move to Plein Street for a look at its fine Art Deco buildings.

Bond said that St Mary’s Anglican Cathedral would also form part of the tour.

This “impressive stone edifice” was designed by Francis Fleming and respects the traditional floor plan of a gothic cathedral.

“[It’s] a lovely building with a chapel of special significance this year,” she said.

“It commemorates those who died in the First World War. The organ is magnificent and, hopefully, we’ll hear the swell.”

The three-hour tour will take place on 2 August, and sightseers should meet tour guides Clare Eisenstein and Alex Parker at Gautrain’s Rosebank Station, Oxford Road, at 1.30pm, or at the exit to Gautrain’s Park Station, Smit Street, at 2pm.

Details: Johannesburg Heritage Foundation 011 482 3349; www.joburgheritage.co.za; Computicket 0861 915 8000; www.computicket.com