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Constitution Hill

Constitution Hill is home to the Constitutional Court, the protector of our basic rights and freedoms. Constitution Hill is also the site of Johannesburg's notorious 19th century Old Fort Prison Complex, commonly known as Number Four, where thousands of ordinary people were brutally punished before the dawn of democracy in 1994.

Many of South Africa's leading political activists, including Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela, were detained here. The Court is housed at the Old Fort, occupying roughly 12000m² of the 95000m² site. The Constitution Hill complex is part of an inner city rejuvenation initiative and has breathed much needed life into the area between Hillbrow and Braamfontein.

The stark juxtaposition of the abuses of the past (as symbolised by the prison buildings) with the hope and enlightenment of the future (as symbolised by the Constitutional Court) lay at the heart of the Judges’ choice of this site as the permanent home of the Constitutional Court. In 1999, the new National Heritage Resources Act re-classified the Old Fort as a heritage site defined as a place 'with qualities so exceptional that they are of special national significance'.

Constitution Hill features tours and exhibitions that celebrate South Africas journey from its struggle against apartheid to the adoption of one of the most progressive constitutions in the world. Although parts of Constitution Hill are still being built, it is open to the public so that everyone can take part in its growth. Constitution Hill has been designed as an interactive experience, where visitor participation is encouraged, and responses and interactions become part of the heritage site. In this way, Constitution Hill will become a precinct with truly living museums. For more info visit www.constitutionhill.org.za