The Hillbrow Tower is the highest structure in Johannesburg, and is
probably the city's most recognisable landmark. The Hillbrow Tower
(previously known as the JG Strijdom Tower) was built over three years,
between June 1968 and April 1971, and is 269m high. It is owned by Telkom
(previously by the Post Office) and is used as a microwave tower. It
used to boast a revolving restaurant, but was closed in January 1981 for
security reasons.
The tower had a blue illuminated Telkom sign installed on 31 May 2005, and
was renamed as the Telkom Joburg Tower.
It is interesting to note that the height of the Hillbrow Tower is
virtually the same as the length of the Titanic (269m).
The Sentech Tower (also known as the Brixton Tower, and previously as
the Albert Hertzog Tower) was built in 1962, and is 239m tall (other
sources say 234m). The tower is used by the SABC and Post office as
a transmission tower, and is situated on a hill in Brixton.
The Carlton Centre is the tallest building in Africa. (Note that the towers
above are not strictly 'buildings'.) It was the tallest building in the
southern hemisphere when originally completed. It has 50 floors, and is
223m tall, about 3m short of featuring in the world's top 100 skyscrapers.
The foundations of the two buildings in the complex are 3.5m in diameter
and extend 20m down to the bedrock, 30m below street level.
The building houses both offices and shops, and has over 46 per cent of the
floor area below ground level.
Excavations for the Carlton were started in January 1967, and took two years to complete. Although occupation of the Centre began in 1971, it was not until 1974 that most of the construction was completed - at a cost of over R88 million.
(Other sources say that the Carlton Centre was built in 1972 or 1973, has 50 floors or 52 storeys), and has a height of 220m or 223m, or is 203m above the pavement.)
It is possible (for a small cost) to take a lift (elevator) to the 50th
floor, where there is a very good observation deck.
Built in 1976, the Ponte building has 54 floors, and has a height of 173.0m
to the roof, and 185.0m to the pinnacle of the building.
Recent article: http://mg.co.za/article/2012-04-20-pontes-fourth-coming-an-urban-icon-reborn
The Johannesburg Sun Hotel was re-opened in 2002 as the KwaDukuza Egoli Hotel.
The name means 'Gathering Place in the City of Gold'.
The Standard Bank building is unique in Johannesburg, in that it was
built from the top down. After the central core was built, the floors were
suspended from three cantilevered arms, with the top floors added first,
followed by each lower floor. The building is organised into three hanging
volumes of nine office floors each, with air conditioning plants housed
between the sections.
Photograph on right courtesy of www.joburg.org.za.
The Carlton Hotel is 32 storeys high, has 602 rooms, and had 6 restaurants.
The hotel has closed and the building is currently 'mothballed'.
Ansteys Tower, located at 59 Joubert Street is now a national monument. This
building was once the home of Cecil Williams (actor, playwright, and member of
Umkhonto we Sizwe). Nelson Mandela was disguised as Cecil Williams' driver
when he was captured on 5 August 1962.
The old City Hall now houses the Gauteng Legislature.
This is Johannesburg's oldest public building. It was built in 1897,
during the time of President Paul Kruger. The post office clock-tower
in Rissik Street dates back to around 1900.
At 294 m in length, this is the longest cable-stayed bridge in southern
Africa. It was officially opened on Sunday 20 July 2003, with a road race
to celebrate Nelson Mandela's 85th birthday. The bridge links Braamfontein
to Newtown.
Northcliff Ridge is believed to have been inhabited by human beings for
over 250 000 years. At 1807 meters above sea level, the ridge is only
1 metre lower than the highest point (Observatory Ridge) in the Johannesburg
municipal area.
The ridge has three unique vegetation zones, and is inhabited by numerous
species of birds, small mammals, and reptiles.
The Randburg Waterfront was relaunched in October 2003 as Brightwater Commons.
270m Hillbrow Tower, Goldreich and Banket Streets, Hillbrow (1971, 6 floors)
234m Sentech Tower, Symons Road, Brixton (1962)
234m The Leonardo, 75 Maude Street, Sandton (2019, 55 floors)
223m Carlton Centre, 150 Commissioner Street (1973, 50 floors)
173m Ponte City Apartments, 1 Lily Avenue, Hillbrow (1975, 54 floors)
165m Marble Towers (was Sanlam Centre), 208-212 Jeppe Street (1973, 33 floors)
153m Michelangelo Towers, Maude Street, Sandton (2005, 34 floors, residential)
141m Sandton City Office Tower, 5th Street & Rivonia Road, Sandton (1973, 22 floors)
140m Kwa Dukuza Egoli Hotel (ex Johannesburg Sun), 84 Smal Street (1985, 40 floors)
140m Trust Bank Centre, Eloff and Fox Streets (1970, 31 floors)
140m Absa Building, 169 Main Street (31 floors)
139m Standard Bank Centre, 5 Simmonds Street (1968, 34 floors)
138m Southern Life Centre (Southern Life / African Eagle), 45 Commissioner Street (1973, 30 floors)
128m UCS Building (ex Total House), 209 Smit Street and Rissik Street, Braamfontein (1976, 30 floors)
123m Kine Centre, 141 Commissioner Street, cnr Kruis Street (1974, 27 floors)
119m Carlton Hotel, Main Street (1973, 30 floors)
115m Old Mutual (Exchange Square, M & F Centre), 69 President Street (and Simmonds) (1975, 29 floors)
115m [Dept of Housing (ex Bank of Lisbon), 37 Sauer Street (1967, 26 floors) - Imploded 24 Nov 2019]
110m Schlesinger Building, 222 Smit Street (1965, 21 floors)
105m Highpoint, Kotze Street, Hillbrow (1972, 28 floors)
95m Logistics House, (Courtieston House), 39 Wolmarans Street and Rissik Street (1974, 25 floors)
91m IBM Building, 124 Main Street, cnr Kruis Street (1976, 22 floors)
80m 11 Diagonal Street (1984, 20 floors)
78m Penmor Tower, 1 Rissik Street (1974, 20 floors)
??m Mariston Hotel, Claim and Koch Streets, Hillbrow (1973, 32 floors)
??m Radiopark, Henley Road, Auckland Park (30 floors)
??m Hekro Towers (now UCKG Towers), 122 Eloff Street (30 floors)
??m Tygerberg, Tudhope Street (29 floors, residential)
??m 120 End Street, Doornfontein (28 floors)
??m Darragh House, 13 Wanderers Street, Hillbrow (27 floors)
??m Splendid Place, 102 Pritchard Street (25 floors, residential)
??m 25 Owl Street, (Metal Box Centre), Milpark (1976, 24 floors)
??m Parktonian Hotel (1984, 23 floors)
??m Albert Luthuli House (ex Shell House), 51 Plein Street (Klein and De Villiers) (22 floors)
??m Kwa Dukuza Egoli Hotel Second Tower (ex Johannesburg Sun), 84 Smal Street (22 floors)
??m University Corner Building, 11-17 Jorissen Street, cnr Bertha Street (22 floors)
??m African Life Building, 111 Commissioner Street, Eloff, Market, and Joubert Streets (21 floors)
??m Majestic Towers & Gate, 38 Empire Road, corner Clarendon Place, Parktown (~22 floors)
??m The Sentinel, 28 Van der Merwe Street, cnr Twist Street, Hillbrow (22 floors, residential)
??m Mutual & Federal Centre, 75 President Street, Harrison and Pritchard (1989, 21 floors)
??m Rand Inn International Hotel, 294 Bree Street (21 floors)
??m Ten Sixty Six, 35 Pritchard Street (Kerk, Loveday, Pritchard, Harrison) (1989, 21 floors)
??m One Merchant Place, 1 Fredman Drive, Sandton (2000, 20 floors)
??m Ansteys Tower, 59 Joubert Street, cnr Jeppe Street (1937, 20 floors, office, residential)
??m Noswal Hall, 3 Stiemens Street, (and Bertha Street), Braamfontein (20 floors)
??m Devonshire House, 49 Jorissen Street, Braamfontein (20 floors)
??m Protekon, Union Square, 80 Plein Street (20 floors)
??m The Gardens Hotel, O'Reilly & Tudhope Streets, Hillbrow (20 floors, residential)
??m Nedbank Plaza, ~18 Pretoria Street, Hillbrow (~20+ floors)
??m Preston Place, 30 Alexandra Street, Hillbrow (~20+ floors)
??m Eastway Towers (20 floors)
??m Sable Centre, 41 De Korte Street, Braamfontein (22 floors)
??m Protekon, Union Square, 80 Plein Street (20 floors)
??m CCMA House, 20 Anderson Street (20 floors)
??m Glencairn, Department of Agriculture, 73 Market Street (20 floors)
??m Anchor Towers, 4 Plein Street (20 floors, office, residential)
61m Eskom Centre, 204 Smit Street, Braamfontein (1955, 19 floors)
??m The Franklin (previously Ernst & Young House), 4 Pritchard Street (1990, 19 floors)
??m His Majesty's Building, 22 Joubert Street (West), 53 Eloff Street (East), Commissioner Street (1944, 19 floors)
??m JCI Building, 28 Harrison Street (19 floors)
??m 112 Main Street, corner Eloff Street (19 floors)
??m Sandton Sun Intercontinental Hotel, 5th Street & Alice Lane, Sandton (1993, 18 floors)
??m Anglo American Platinum, 55 Marshall Street, cnr Maclaren Street (1994, 18 floors)
??m Chamber of Mines Building, 5 Hollard Street, Marshall and Sauer Streets (1936, 18 floors)
??m Schreiner Chambers, 94 Pritchard Street (18 floors)
??m Landrost Apartments (previously Landdrost Hotel), corner Plein and Twist Streets (18 floors)
??m Rennie House, 19 Ameshoff Street, Braamfontein (18 floors)
??m Johannesburg Licensing Department, 79 Loveday Street (~18 floors)
??m Diamond Corner, Department of Agriculture, Conservation, Environment, 68 Market Street, corner Eloff (18 floors)
??m 6 Plein Street (18 floors)
??m 87 Rissik Street (18 floors)
??m Chaplin House 86 Commissioner Street, between Simmonds and Harrison Streets (~18 floors)
??m Spoornet, 138 Eloff Street (Wolmarans), Braamfontein (17 floors)
??m Municipal Building (17 floors)
??m 76 Juta Street, Braamfontein (~17 floors)
??m Lister Building, 195 Jeppe Street, on Smal Street (~17 floors)
??m Highrise, Primrose Street (near Kapteijn Street), Hillbrow (~17 floors)
??m The Metropolitan, 39-55 Alexandra Street (backs onto Barnato Street), Hillbrow (~~17 floors)
??m 29 Kerk Street (17 floors)
??m Corner House (Development Planning & Local Government), 25 Sauer Street (Fox and Commissioner) (17 floors)
??m Standard Bank House, 20 Albert Street, corner Eloff (17 floors)
??m Traduna, Jorissen Street, Braamfontein (~17 floors)
??m Civic Towers, 41 Stiemens Street, corner Biccard Street, Braamfontein (~17 floors)
??m The Forum, Maude Street, Sandton (1996, 16 floors)
??m Jorissen Place, 66 Jorissen Street, Braamfontein (16 floors)
??m Libridge, 25 Ameshoff Street, Braamfontein (16 floors)
??m Peoples Bank Building (Nedcor), 100 Main Street (16 floors)
??m RSA Centre, Jorissen Street, corner Melle Street, Braamfontein (~16 floors)
??m Umjantshi House (Spoornet), 30 Wolmarans Street, Braamfontein (1965, 16 floors)
??m Ridge Plaza, (between Ponte and Tygerberg), Hillbrow (~16 floors)
??m Herdershof, Police residence, Gold Street, Triomf (~16 floors)
??m Persam House, 73 Loveday Street (Harrison, Bree, and Jeppe Streets) (~16 floors)
??m Glazco Centre, 58-64 Anderson Street (between Loveday and Harrison Streets) (~16 floors)
??m Clifton Heights, De Korte Street, corner Biccard Street, Braamfontein (~16 floors)
??m RAU (University of Johannesburg) Students Residence, Auckland Park (1975, 16 floors)
??m Sandton Towers Intercontinental Hotel, Rivonia Road & Grayston Drive, Sandton (1983, 15 floors)
??m Joburg Roads Agency, 66 Sauer Street (1979, 15 floors)
??m Imbali, cnr Tudhope Avenue and Louis Botha Avenue, Berea (15 floors)
??m Edura, 40 Commissioner Street and 41 Fox Street (15 floors)
??m Nedbank Place, 35 Sauer Street, corner Market Street (15 floors)
??m Metropolitan Life Building, 108 Fox Street, corner Rissik (15 floors)
??m Rand President Apartments, 340 Pretoria Avenue, Randburg (15 floors)
??m Profurn House, 66 De Korte Street, Braamfontein (15 floors)
??m Computershare, 70 Marshall Street (15 floors)
??m Bridgeport, 28 Biccard Street, corner De Korte Street, Braamfontein (15 floors)
??m Nedbank House, 81-85 Main Street (15 floors)
??m Kelhof, 112 Pritchard Street (~15 floors)
??m Samro House, 73 Juta Street, cnr De Beer Street, Braamfontein (~14 floors)
??m 1 De Villiers Street (14 floors)
??m Anglo American Life Towers, Sauer Street (14 floors)
??m Conlyn House, 156 President Street (14 floors)
??m Samancor House, 88 Marshall Street (14 floors)
??m Auckland House, 185 Smit Street (and 18 Biccard Street), Braamfontein (14 floors)
??m Trust Bank Centre, Randburg Mall (14 floors)
??m Metro Centre, 163 Hendrik Verwoerd Drive, Randburg (14 floors)
??m Braamfontein Centre, Bertha Street, Braamfontein (14 floors)
??m Westpoint, Grayston Drive and West Road South, Sandton (2004, ~14 floors)
??m Insurance Towers (was Auto & General Building), Queen Street, Richmond (1989, 13 floors)
??m Sage Life Centre, 10 Frazer Street (and President) (13 floors)
??m Atkinson House, Albert Street, corner Eloff (~13 floors)
??m Longsbank, 197 Bree Street (13 floors)
??m 1 Biccard Street (13 floors)
??m JCI House, (Consolidated Building), Fox Street (13 floors)
??m 33 Sauer Street (Avril Malan Building) (~12 floors)
??m Constantine Apartments (12 floors, residential)
??m Girton Hall, Highfield, Wits (12 floors, residential)
??m St Mary's Building, bordering Eloff Street (12 floors)
??m Reith Hall, Highfield, Wits (12 floors, residential)
??m North City House, 28 Melle Street, Braamfontein (12 floors)
??m 268 Jeppe Street (12 floors, residential)
??m Lancet Hall, Jeppe Street, corner Von Wielligh Street (12 floors)
??m Jubilee Hall, Wits University (12 floors, residential)
??m Medhurst Hall, Highfield, Wits (12 floors, residential)
??m Intec House, 130 Marshall Street (cnr Eloff) (12 floors)
??m The Grace, 54 Bath Avenue, Rosebank (11 floors)
??m Fredman Towers, (previously Fedsure Towers), 13 Fredman Drive, Sandton (1992, 11 floors)
55m Giant Wheel, Gold Reef City (2001)
50m Nelson Mandela Bridge (2003)
46m Mintek, 200 Hans Strijdom Drive, Randburg (~1976, 11 floors)
??m Randburg Square (was Sanlam Centre), Pretoria Avenue, Randburg (1978, ~11 floors)
??m Nestle, Hendrik Verwoerd Drive, Randburg (~11 floors)
46m Astor Mansions, Jeppe Street, corner Von Brandis Street (1932, 10 floors)
43m Barbican, 89 President Street (1932, 11 floors)
For more information on skyscrapers around the world, see:
The tallest free standing structure in Southern Africa is claimed to be
a smoke-stack. Very tall industrial structures include:
301m Secunda - SASOL Synthetic Fuels Steam Plant 3
300m Witbank - Two smoke-stacks of the New Duvha power station
(each has a lift and staircase inside, used twice a month for cleaning)
275m Kendal - Kendal Power Station (1988)
275m Kriel - Matla Power Station