Rand Club Building, Private members club in central Johannesburg, South Africa
The Rand Club Building is a five-story Edwardian neo-baroque structure located at the corner of Commissioner and Loveday Streets in central Johannesburg, South Africa. It has a rusticated ground floor, porticoes, and Doric columns on the outside, while inside there is a ballroom, a private theater, several libraries, and a notably long bar.
The Rand Club was founded in 1887 and moved into this, its third home, in 1904, with a metal frame manufactured in the United Kingdom. The club's founding years coincided with the gold rush that first drew large numbers of settlers to the Johannesburg area.
The Buckland Library inside holds thousands of books on African history and local biographies, showing what stories the members considered worth keeping. Those who gain access can see how this reading room still feels like a place where the past is taken seriously.
The building is at a busy central Johannesburg intersection and easy to find on foot or by car. Access is normally restricted to members and their guests, so it is worth arranging an invitation in advance if you wish to see the interior.
The building was used on two separate occasions as an official residence for members of the British royal family during their South African tours in the 1920s and 1930s. Few buildings in Johannesburg can claim to have housed royalty, which sets this one apart from other grand addresses in the city.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
