Iconic Places
Colesberg is situated in the Upper Karoo and is an iconic Karoo town, surrounded by tranquillity and the famous mystical Karoo essence. The town has a rich history linked to the diamond industry. The first diamond found in South Africa was sent to Colesberg for testing and the original store where it was tested still stands today. The town has several monuments, including the Colesberg-Kemper Museum. The museum is an example of 19th century Karoo architecture and houses relics of the town’s history.
Graaff-Reinet is another iconic Karoo town, situated in the region’s heartland. It is the fourth oldest town of South Africa and houses over 200 National Monuments. An entire street is also restored, which includes slave cottages. The town is known as the ‘gem of the Karoo’ and has retained much of its 19th century character.
Aberdeen lies south of Graaff-Reinet and is awash with Victorian, Gothic, Georgian and Karoo architectural style buildings. The town has been declared an architectural conservation town, making it a great place for historical walking tours.
Kimberley, known for its history immersed in diamonds, is situated in the Northern Cape and draws many visitors with it ‘big hole’ that was part of the diamond rush. The town is the diamond capital of the world and houses attractions such as an open air museum, various parks and gardens as well as monuments.
Namaqualand is regarded as part of the Succulent Karoo, and has many small towns that were once part of great mining industries, such as Okiep, which is the richest copper mining region on earth.