Observatory, Johannesburg
Place in Gauteng, South Africa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Observatory is a suburb in Johannesburg's east and is located in Region E of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality; it borders the suburbs of Houghton Estate, Cyrildene, Linksfield, Bellevue, Bellevue East and Dewetshof.
Observatory | |
|---|---|
  Observatory  Observatory | |
| Coordinates: 26.176°S 28.082°E | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Province | Gauteng |
| Municipality | City of Johannesburg |
| Main Place | Johannesburg |
| Area | |
• Total | 0.66 km2 (0.25 sq mi) |
| Population (2011)[1] | |
• Total | 490 |
| • Density | 740/km2 (1,900/sq mi) |
| Racial makeup (2011) | |
| • Black African | 32.9% |
| • Coloured | 1.8% |
| • Indian/Asian | 4.3% |
| • White | 60.6% |
| • Other | 0.4% |
| First languages (2011) | |
| • English | 71.0% |
| • Zulu | 6.9% |
| • Afrikaans | 3.9% |
| • Tswana | 3.1% |
| • Other | 15.1% |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (SAST) |
| Postal code (street) | 2198 |
| PO box | 2187 |
History
It is named for the Union Observatory established in early 1903, sited on Observatory Ridge, the city's highest point. The suburb is situated on part of an old Witwatersrand farm called Doornfontein.[2] It was established in 1903.[2]
It is a well-established suburb: Observatory Girls' Primary was founded in 1918, and Observatory Golf Course founded in 1912 is the oldest golf club in Johannesburg still operating from its original ground. The suburb housed the Yeshivah Gedolah of Johannesburg, until its relocation to Glenhazel.