Gandhi Square, Public square in Central Business District, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Gandhi Square is an open urban plaza in the central business district of Johannesburg, South Africa, serving as both a transport hub and a commercial area. It has a modern bus terminal, retail shops, and connections to the Gautrain network.
The square was originally called Government Square and was the site where Johannesburg surrendered to British forces in 1900, during the Second Boer War. It was later renamed to honor Gandhi's years in the city as a practicing lawyer.
The square is named after Mahatma Gandhi, who worked as a lawyer in this part of Johannesburg before becoming a public figure. A bronze statue shows him in his legal robes, climbing the steps of a courthouse.
The square is open year-round and sits in the heart of downtown Johannesburg, making it easy to reach on foot from nearby streets. Visiting during the day is recommended, as the area is livelier and easier to navigate then.
Gandhi spent over 20 years in South Africa before returning to India, and it was during his time in Johannesburg that he first developed the idea of nonviolent resistance as a political tool. The square marks a place connected to those early experiments, not to his later fame.
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