Posted by Ina (Krugersdorp, South Africa) on 30 January 2008 in Cityscape & Urban and Portfolio.
Cape Town has its low, flat, Table Mountain. Johannesburg has the long, thin, Hillbrow Tower, one of the tallest towers in Africa. It is 270-metres (or 90 storeys) high, making it one of the tallest man-made structures with a lift in Africa.
The Tower dominates the Johannesburg skyline, visible to visitors long before they reach the city itself.
Hillbrow Tower was closed to visitors in 1981, for security reasons. But for ten years before that, it was one of the city's great tourist attractions.
At the top of the tower, from 131 metres upwards, were six public floors. One of them housed a revolving restaurant, called Heinrich's Restaurant, the highest restaurant in Africa at 197 metres, which seated 108 people in "luxurious comfort - It offered an unrestricted 360-degree view. The floor revolved at between one and three revolutions per hour in an anti-clockwise direction. When the restaurant was full, it weighed 64 metric tons, yet its movement was "so smooth and well-balanced", that it required only a three horsepower motor to turn it. Visitors reached the top via two high-speed lifts, shooting upwards at six metres per second.
Unfortunately, the tower is not likely to be re-opened to the public. It is now used as an office block for Telkom (South Africa's largest telecommunications company) employees.
Your visit and comment means a lot, thanks for stopping by :)
Great story. Such an interesting cityscape you have caught. Super shot.
30 Jan 2008 2:00am
@Michael Skorulski: Thank you Michael
Nice cityscape!
30 Jan 2008 5:25am
@Steven: Thanks Steven!
had to visit your site, 'cause your 'shotfull' ;) of smarts, I am right there shopping...love your shot!
30 Jan 2008 6:56am
@Lorraine: :)) Thank you Lorraine!
An amazing cityscape. Years ago London UK had a similar tower with a revolving resturant, unfortunatly that closed for the same reason and in the same year strangly enough. It is also a telecom tower (London BT tower) the similarities between these two building is uncanny, maybe they were built by the same people. :) I've just searched to see what else I could find about it, if you'd like to take a look. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post_Office_Tower
30 Jan 2008 7:33am
@MaryB: Hi Mary! thanks for sharing this information and thanks for the link! I find it quite fascinating.
Hmmm, I doubt it was really closed for "security" reasons. The real reason more likely involved money and profits. Anyhow, I digress. Great shot of the city!
30 Jan 2008 9:11am
@Craiger: Hi Graiger, who knows.... you might be right! Thanks for your visit!
Beautiful city scape, We outsiders are so fascinated by SA's animals and landscapes that we forget there are interesting cities too. I guess the same could be said about Canada...
30 Jan 2008 9:54am
@Wolfgang Prigge: Thanks Wolfgang, I took this from my car on the highway, so it's not the best in composition, but at least one gets an idea. I don't often go that way. Thanks for your visit!
I couldn't help but think of the World Trade Towers in New York while reading your interesting caption, Ina. These tall buildings are fascinating but somewhat scary too.
30 Jan 2008 11:52am
@Judy: Thanks Judy! Yes, I also think the tall buildings are targets (history showed us...) Thanks for your visit!
Economics is the driving force behind most decisions in our world. That would be a great place to take a camera.
30 Jan 2008 1:08pm
@Michael Rawluk: So come visit!
nice shot! thanks for sharing the information!
30 Jan 2008 1:16pm
Beautiful shot of the city of gold. I went up the tower as a youngster with my grand-father - (many moons ago). Thank you for the nostalgic memory.
30 Jan 2008 3:53pm
@Graham Russon: You are welcome! That is quite a special memory with grandpa!
An impressive citiscape. I agree with Wolfgang that in South-Africa not the animals only are worth seeing.
Very nice capture Ina. I had supper in the revolving restaurant a couple of times between 1975 and 1980. Your pictures are a delight for me! Thanks
30 Jan 2008 4:54pm
@standley: You are welcome Richard! Good old memories... they are precious
I like the angle you choice. Interesting information about the tower. Thanks
30 Jan 2008 5:03pm
Very interesting view! My city has a similar tower, also with a revolving restaurant. Too bad that yours isn't opened to the public! This would give an awesome sight!
30 Jan 2008 5:08pm
@MadScientist: Lucky you! Do you have any photographs taken from there?
Cool city shot, its a shame you can't get up there any more.
30 Jan 2008 5:59pm
@Richard_Irwin: I know... especially now that I'm into photography! ;)
What a wonderful skyline. It is crisp, well composed and interesting. I always enjoy your copy, thanks for sharing that with us Ina.
30 Jan 2008 8:19pm
@Gary: Thanks Gary!
Lucky you! Do you have any photographs taken from there? Unfortunately not! In fact, I've never been in there :-) But here's a cool panorama shot from there (just click at the image).
31 Jan 2008 6:33am
@MadScientist: Thanks! I will
31 Jan 2008 5:38pm
@Porcsin: Thank you!
Great shot Ina, last year the JDA, Johannesburg Development Agency, was talking to Telkom, the current owners of this tower, to open it for public as the aim is to restore it and open resturants. I hope Telkom will agree with the JDA, I keep my fingers crossed.
4 Apr 2008 1:10am
@Pule: Sounds like good news! That will be great :)
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