Introduction to Durban

The beautiful coastal city-Durban is located in the hometown of the Zulu nation-KwaZulu, Natal Province.

1. Subtropical sports ground, the gateway to Africa

Durban is the busiest port in Africa and the gateway to the African continent and other countries in the Indian Ocean. It has a spring-like climate all year round, charming beaches and five-star seaside hotels with spectacular views of the Indian Ocean.

Durban is not only South Africa's sports ground, but also an ideal venue for international conferences and important African conferences. The International Conference Center has strong competitiveness in the world and has hosted a series of important conferences, including: the South African Economic Summit, the Non-Aligned Movement Ministerial Conference, the 2002 Africa Conference, the 13th International AIDS Conference and the Anti-Racial Conference International Conference on Discrimination. The African Union was established at the African Union Summit held here in July 2002. The United Nations Climate Conference was held here in November 2011. The fifth BRICS Summit was held on the evening of March 26, 2013 at the Durban International Conference Center in South Africa.

2. New entertainment facilities

Durban City and several private consortiums jointly invested in the construction of Ushaka Marine Park, reinforced Victoria Embankment, Wilson Pier (featuring restaurants and store's new Catalina Theater), Suncoast Casino in Tesogossen (known for its country green food on the North Coast), Sibaya Casino in Allison, which opened in the winter of 2004 Entertainment kingdom and other projects. All these facilities give Durban an excellent reputation. Here, countries cooperate sincerely, companies achieve their goals, colleagues share information, people are friendly and united, and tourists enjoy the scenery of the Zulu Kingdom.

3. Shopping and tourist attractions

Gateway Shopping Plaza provides services integrating shopping and entertainment. Specialty shops, restaurants, 18 cinemas and the famous Baniya Theater, as well as the high-end market for African antiques and art are concentrated here. Not only is it an important retail location in Durban and the largest shopping and entertainment center in South Africa, Gateway also has sports facilities such as skateboarding, cyclocross, rock climbing and wave pools for sports-loving tourists. Dadingzi Shopping Center is another multi-level shopping mall. Its design style reflects the Victorian architectural style. The massive metal and glass roof stands out for miles around. It receives millions of tourists every month. The interior is built of marble and houses a large cinema complex.

The Workshop Shopping Center was converted from Durban’s original train maintenance plant. It is very close to various tourist attractions in the city such as the City Auditorium.

4. Ideal for outdoor sports

Durban has a pleasant subtropical climate with sunshine all year round. There are many beautiful parks and beautiful natural landscapes here, including: the Botanical Garden at the foot of Mount Berea, the beautiful Mitchell Park (with its own zoo), and the Umugeni Bird Park on the south bank of the Umugeni River. , as well as several wildlife parks under the jurisdiction of KZN. Among them, Stangan, Umhlanga, Coastal Mangrove Forest and Kolantklov Nature Reserve are not only suitable for sightseeing but also for picnicking.

A variety of sports are available. Durban Country Club, a golf paradise, is adjacent to its members club, Beach Forest. Surrounded by the Graytown Lace Golf Course, the Royal Durban Golf Course provides playing facilities while also welcoming the visiting golf fraternity. Exciting aerial sports such as hang gliding are popular in the Baylit area north of Umhlanga.

The Natal Shark Boat is open to tourists throughout the week. Tourists can take a boat to see sharks, and on weekends they can also see dolphins and whales. KZN's famous sardine schools are a major sight in winter, attracting a large number of fishermen and tourists to the seaside to watch this spectacular sight.

In short, there are countless cultural and natural landscapes here. People lived here as early as the Paleolithic Age 1.5 million years ago. Stone tools were found in caves in the Drakensberg Mountains, where the abaThwa people lived a hunting group life tens of thousands of years ago. They lived in the interior of Natal until black tribes from Africa immigrated here two thousand years ago.

In 1824, the talented military strategist King Shaka united the Nguni tribes to form the Zulu nation. Since then, the vast area from the Usukra River in the north to the Umuzi Mvubu River in the south has belonged to the Zulu nation. The amaThuli and amaCele people of Durban were also included in the Kingdom of Shaka.

In 1497, Vasco Gama discovered Durban Bay during his voyage to India. He was the first European to discover half a bay. From the 16th century onward, slave traders, whalers, pirates and merchants frequently visited.

In order to establish trade links with the Kingdom of Shaka, a group of merchants came to the port of Durban in 1824. He was received by King Shaka and was later allowed to settle in Durban on the premise of observing Zulu law.

Many tribes also moved here to cooperate with local merchants and help them obtain ivory. Because the relationship with the Zulu Monarchy gradually deteriorated (in 1828, King Dingen assassinated King Shaka and seized the throne), in 1835, after Benjamin Durban (the ruler of the British Cape Colony) took office, the country was renamed Durban.

In 1836, due to the abolition of slavery movement, the Boers left the Cape area. Part of it crossed the Drakensberg Mountains to northern Natal, where a war broke out in 1838 due to territorial disputes with the Zulus. Later, King Dingen decided to assassinate his rival in order to keep his throne. Prince Pende enlisted the Boers as supporters and defeated King Dingen. King Dingen fled to Swaziland and was killed.

Prince Pande obtained the throne of the Zulu King with the assistance of the Boer leader Pretoria, and divided the territory between the Usukra River and the Umzimvubu River to the Boer people . In 1839, the Natalia Boer War was established, with Pietermaritzburg as its capital, and Durban was also placed under the Boer War.

The Boers' cruel treatment of black Africans attracted the attention of the Cape Colony. In 1842, a small group of British troops stationed in Durban in the name of easing relations between the Zulu and Boer countries, but was opposed by the Boers. The British army lost the Battle of Kangra and was besieged by the Boer army. King Dick sent a large number of cavalry to Grahamstown in the Cape Colony (about 1,000 kilometers away from the southern tip of the island) to seek rescue. The siege was lifted after more than a month. In 1845, the Republic of Natalya surrendered to the Cape Colony and renamed it the Natal Colony. Most of the Boers resettled in the interior of South Africa.

British people began to immigrate to Durban, and many of these businessmen contributed to the development of Durban. In the early 1850s, it was discovered that sugarcane was not only highly productive but also suitable for cultivation here. The sugar industry also developed rapidly as a result. A large number of Indian indentured laborers came here to work in the sugar industry, and wealthy Indian businessmen also immigrated here. In Durban, a large and culturally diverse family, people of Indian descent account for a large proportion. Durban now has the largest Indian population outside the Indian subcontinent.

In 1854, Durban was approved as an autonomous region, and its first mayor and first council were elected. In 1860, a railway was built from Durban to the port, becoming South Africa's first railway. South Africa's railway system developed slowly, but with the discovery of gold in the Transvaal province, the railway developed rapidly and by 1895 it had extended to Johannesburg (the center of the gold mining industry), the Free State and places north and south of Durban. These main railway lines not only carry goods but also passengers, making Durban a famous holiday destination.

The discovery of gold mines in the Transvaal Province and Dundee coal mines in 1886 promoted the construction of railways and enhanced Durban's status as an important port. To enable large ships to berth, the harbor was deepened. The construction of Maytown Quay and Dry Dock made the Port of Durban the largest seaport in Africa.

With the development of the port, related industries such as shipyards, handling companies, paint and coating factories and other industries have developed rapidly.

By the early 20th century, Durban already had electrical power, sewage treatment equipment, a water supply network system and a high-strength road system. In 1935, the town of Durban was approved to be promoted to the city of Durban. Durban's status continues to rise and it has become the second largest industrial center after the Transvaal Province.

Durban, with more than 3 million people, is one of the fastest growing areas in the city and the most famous holiday destination in South Africa.

There are many museums in and around Durban that chronicle the history of Durban: apartheid at the Kwamu Museum, maritime events at the Maritime Museum and Indian indentured labor at the Durban Cultural and Documentation Center history. Durban is a multicultural city. Durban's three main social groups have their own unique backgrounds, blending African, Indian and British traditions. There are also traditions originating from the Netherlands, Portugal and China. Second and third generation Durban developed a wide variety of food, restaurants, arts, crafts and ethnic dances.

800,000 of Durban’s 3.7 million residents are of Indian descent. Outside of the South Asian subcontinent, Durban is the city with the largest Indian population.

The vibrant Indian Market on Victoria Street is a favorite tourist attraction, as is Gray Street for shopping, the majestic Emali Cathedral and the Jummah Mosque, the largest mosque in the southern hemisphere. Musjid Mosque). These two opposing religious buildings were built next to each other and exist harmoniously. In this bustling and noisy place filled with pedestrians, traffic and merchants, the Cathedral of Emali and the Gama Mosque represent peace and tranquility, symbolizing tolerance and tolerance.

Durban and Gray Street are dotted with restaurants specializing in north and south Indian cuisine. Rabbit paté, bread and curry snacks are popular local treats for entertaining guests.

Indian religious festivals that attract many domestic and international tourists include Diwali and the Festival of Wali (a massive procession on the seafront). The most worth seeing in the Temple of Understanding in Chatsworth is the spectacular Krishna Temple. Plus there are delicious dishes from its surrounding community restaurants.

The spectacular rickshaws and ornate arts and crafts of the Golden Mile showcase Durban's Zulu flair and culture. These beautiful and spectacular scenes are unobstructed from Phezulu Peak on Botha’s Hill, overlooking the spectacular valleys formed by numerous mountains.

Other festivals and large-scale cultural and entertainment events include the Ward Ken Durban July Obstacle Race, NBS Theatre, Garden Show, African Music Festival, Writers' Age, African Poetry and the Durban International Film Festival.

Durban also has many beach festivals, yacht races and other sea sports. The world's longest surf competition is held every year on Durban's North Beach, attracting many top competitors from around the world.

South American beaches are the most famous domestic tourist attractions and are surrounded by luxury resort apartments and high-rise hotels. There are also the well-appointed Sunshine Coast Leisure Park, Fitzsimon Snake Park and Mini City (a microcosm of Durban). Visitors to the resort town can take a ride in a colorful rickshaw pulled by Zulu people, or witness a spectacular sardine shoal, where thousands of sardines swim up to the shore, followed by swarms of sharks, dolphins and whales. The sight is truly spectacular.

Durban Seaport has been continuously developed into a tourist attraction integrating food culture, art culture and entertainment culture, receiving many tourists who come here to enjoy the warm subtropical style. Point Waterfront's marine park features a new marina, canals, shops and a world-class marine aquarium. In other large ports in Africa, such as Wilson Wharf, many seafood restaurants offer fresh fish from the Indian Ocean. The area is also home to the new Catalina Theatre, a baseball complex, a multicultural arts center with a full gallery, shops and African restaurants.

The magnificent Durban City Auditorium has an art gallery, free lunchtime concerts and KwaZulu-Natal Symphony Orchestra concerts. The city of Durban has many Victorian and world-famous Art Deco buildings. The African Museum, Natal Maritime Museum and Quamur Museum all contain rich historical records of Durban.

Cultural tours, such as the Inanda ruins, take you around Durban and its surrounding towns to get a taste of a different way of life.

Adventures such as Fezulu and Kwasimba offer traditional entertainment in the Zulu countryside. There are also the province's famous battlefields and other tourist attractions.

Durban is the only province in South Africa with two World Heritage sites and the oldest botanical garden in Africa. The botanical garden often hosts outdoor concerts and picnic gatherings for family and friends. This beautiful natural harbor is located at the foot of Mount Polya, not far from the center of Durban. It has precious tree resources, among which iron trees are the rarest.

KwaZulu-Natal is truly a "province of the world". With world-class infrastructure, huge attractions and 345 sunny days a year, Durban is the first choice place to experience sunshine and various cultural charms.

Tourism

As South Africa's main holiday and conference destination, Durban offers different levels of accommodation from luxurious five-star hotels to those suitable for hikers. This sunny city is the perfect traveler's home. Five-star hotels and luxury apartments sit by the sea, offering views of the sparkling Indian Ocean. These hotels offer world-class services including arranging transfers to and from Durban International Airport, luggage check-in within Zulu and between nearby tourist attractions. Durban also has a large train station and buses within and outside the city to facilitate your travel.

1. Multiple choices

Tourists can choose reasonably priced hotels from the city’s hotels, ranging from elegant and high-end rooms to exquisite and comfortable rooms. Durban's suburbs are home to a treasure trove of world-famous architecture, from early Victorian wonderland-like buildings to unique Art Deco architectural ruins. Many of them have been converted into comfortable, high-end hotels, and most of them are within a short distance. Most of the hotels' décor and menu design feature native and colonial influences, allowing visitors to truly experience Durban's history. There are also comfortable hotels here for trekking tourists. If you want to experience the low-cost pleasures of Durban, you can choose to stay in hotels prepared for hiking tourists, ranging from simple no-frills hotels to reincarnated luxurious high-end hotels. The coast stretching north and south from Durban offers a variety of recreational activities and accommodation at all levels, from the seaside to the wild.

2. Time-share accommodation

Time-share apartments are a popular form of accommodation in Durban and its surrounding areas, and the number of tourists choosing time-share accommodation is a growing trend. . This shows that Durban not only impresses visitors upon their first arrival, but also attracts repeat visits with its quality services. Visitors talk about the pleasant climate, beautiful beaches and melting pot of the best of Eastern, Western and African cultural traditions. However, Durban is also world-famous for its Art Deco architecture.

Many tourists from all over the world come to Durban every year to see the architecture that retains the style of the early twentieth century. What surprised them most, however, were the rare examples of Victorian, Edwardian, Synthetic, Berea and Oriental styles of architecture.

Art Deco appeared in the United States in the 1920s, but it was not until the 1930s that Durban established its stance against the British and South African governments. began to prevail. Many buildings, especially residential buildings, adopt this style. Art Deco architecture had not yet appeared in Britain at that time, so it was considered a "modern style". In the 1930s, Durban architecture was most affected by this.

1. Main buildings

Durban was the driving force for economic development in the region, popularizing the Art Deco style from Berea's colonial and local residential areas to the business district. Although the emerging harbor city borrowed many architectural styles from the United States, it still reflected Durban's background as a maritime country. Muslim businessmen running family businesses in the Gray Street area began to combine religious beliefs with architectural decoration styles from the early twentieth century.

Durban-style buildings include No. 127 West Street, built with distinctive red bricks, which is comparable to the Jubilee Palace in Berea, and the luxurious No. 330 West Street, decorated with African animal patterns. and the Essop Moossa Building on Prince Edward Street, decorated with ornate European and Islamic patterns.

No. 323 Currie Road is a residential building built in the Art Deco style. It is a masterpiece of Art Deco at that time and retains its rustic style. The San Agustin Apartments on Musgrave Road is perhaps the only representative example of Mayan artistic architecture.

2. Focus Building

Howard College, the focus of the University of Natal, has a comprehensive design style on the outside and a completely Art Deco style on the inside. The carvings on the hall door, the staircase and the portrait of King George V all reflect the ornate Art Deco style. The history of a place is the history of the entire region and even the entire society. It involves the history of all people in society, not just the upper class.

Durban's Tekweni Municipality has six museums, each documenting a different aspect of Durban's history. With the exception of the Port Natal Maritime Museum, all other museums are free to visit.

Each museum documents a different aspect of Durban's history. Except for the Pinetown and Westerville museums, the opening hours of all other museums are: Monday to Saturday 08:30-16:00; Sundays and statutory holidays are 11:00-16:00. All museums are closed on Good Friday, Christmas Day and General Election Day.

The Old Court Museum at 77 Aliwal Street mainly displays the experiences of people from all walks of life in pre-colonial and colonial times. In the upstairs exhibition hall, you can see the early architecture of Durban and learn about the early enterprises of Durban. You can also arrange a walking tour of Durban.

The Kwa Muhle Museum, located at 130 Ordnance Road, focuses on pre-colonial history. This was originally the office building of the Ministry of State Administration, where black Africans applied to find jobs in the city.

The Kwa Muhle Museum has the theme of "Durban Institutions" and its materials are about Durban's apartheid, town construction, local beer shop taxation and the history of immigrant labor.

The Gray Street Museum chronicles the history of merchants of Indian descent. Here you can learn about all aspects of cultural exchange between different social groups in Durban.

The harbor at the end of Alivar Street is home to the Port Natal Maritime Museum, which records the history of the harbor and its operations. The museum displays three ships, demonstrating the technology and lifestyle of the maritime period. The three ships are Ulundi (a steam-powered ship), J.R. Moore (oil-fueled) and SAS Durban (a minesweeper), which require admission.

The Old House Museum at 31 St. Andrew Street is a leisure place for the prominent Robinson family. The head of the Robinson family was Sir John, Natal's first prime minister.

The Pinetown Museum is open from Monday to Friday 09:00-17:00; Saturday 09:00-12:00; closed on Sundays and statutory holidays. Located on the corner of Crompton Avenue and Old Main Road in Pinetown. The Pinetown Museum displays the development history of the Pinetown area from prehistory to the 21st century and the simple and natural local life. There is also information on tourist attractions in the western part of the diocese.

The Westerville Museum is located at 16 Queen Street (next to King Street) in Westerville. Opening hours are: Monday to Friday 08:30-16:45; Saturday 08:00-12:00, closed on Sundays and statutory holidays. It mainly displays the history of Bergtheil colonists who moved to the highway area from Germany in 1848. They were the first organized colonists in the colony of Natal. The Westerville Museum also documents the impact of the Begthel colonists on their descendants and the process of colonization of Natal.

The latest project of the Ministry of History and Culture is to assist the Cato Manor Development Association in the construction of the Cato Manor Heritage Center. The project is located at Intuthuko Junction, 750 Francois Road, Cato Estate. It was opened to the public on October 10, 2003.