The theme park is constructed on high of what was as soon as one of many richest gold mines on the planet.
The theme park first opened in 1987 and is positioned in South Africa (Picture: Getty)
Theme parks might be discovered everywhere in the world, however some are a bit extra uncommon than others. Whereas most are constructed on open land, there are a couple of which have a way more fascinating historical past behind them. Some are even constructed on websites that have been as soon as used for one thing utterly completely different.
That’s precisely the case with one theme park that has been attracting guests for many years. It’s constructed on high of what was as soon as one of many richest gold mines on the planet. And almost 40 years after opening, it’s nonetheless one of the crucial standard points of interest of its sort.
Gold Reef Metropolis in Johannesburg is constructed on the positioning of the previous Crown Mines (Picture: Getty)
The place is Gold Reef Metropolis in Johannesburg, South Africa. The park first opened in 1987 and, as of 2026, has been working for 39 years. It’s now the most important theme park in all of Africa.
Gold Reef Metropolis is positioned round 5 miles from town centre, within the southern suburbs of Johannesburg, and sits near the Apartheid Museum.
It’s constructed on the positioning of the previous Crown Mines, particularly Shaft No. 14, which dates again to the Eighteen Eighties.
At its peak, the mine reached depths of greater than 3,000 metres and performed an enormous half within the development of Johannesburg.
Mining operations stopped in 1971, however as a substitute of eradicating the buildings, the positioning was preserved and later changed into a theme park.
Gold pouring demonstration at Gold Reef Metropolis theme park (Picture: Getty)
Among the unique options are nonetheless a part of the park at this time, together with the mine shaft used for one in all its greatest rides.
The Tower of Terror makes use of the unique headgear and drops riders 50 metres into the previous mine shaft.
There are additionally a variety of different rides, together with rollercoasters just like the Anaconda and Golden Loop, in addition to water rides, household points of interest and a big Ferris wheel.
Guests also can participate in an underground mine tour, the place they go 75 metres under the floor to see how gold was as soon as extracted.
There are additionally gold pouring demonstrations and areas the place guests can attempt panning for gold themselves.
Among the unique mining options are nonetheless a part of the park at this time (Picture: Getty)
Over time, the park has expanded to incorporate eating places, outlets and different leisure choices, making it a full-day vacation spot.
Tickets for the park are often round R295, which is roughly £13 per particular person.
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Guests have shared their experiences on-line. One wrote on TripAdvisor: “There’s an superior experience on the park referred to as Tower of Terror. It’s a very brief experience, however one you should not miss when you love scary, quick, drop-type rides.”
One other added: “That is in contrast to any theme park I’ve ever been to. It’s smaller than locations like Disneyland Paris, however has a lot to supply. The mine tour was additionally superb.”
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