Car Hire Centurion - Mini guide to Centurion
Centurion is centrally situated in Gauteng province, providing easy access to the region’s attractions. It is best known as the location of the Centurion SuperSport Park, where international cricket matches are played. Formerly known as Verwoedburg, it is conveniently placed between Johannesburg and Pretoria, no more than 30 minutes drive from each, making it a popular commuter suburb.
The Irene Camp Cemetery dates from the early 1900s, when many Boer farms were destroyed by British soldiers, and women and children were left homeless. The camp was built to accommodate these people, who were housed in tents in dreadful conditions. Many of these refugees died, and it is said that over 2,000 people were buried in the camp’s cemetery.
Other attractions in the area include Smuts House, originally the home of former Prime Minister General Jan Christiaan Smuts, and today a museum documenting his life. Also of interest is the site of the significant Rooihuiskraal battle in the first War of Freedom. The Air Force Memorial, on Bays Hill, commemorates roughly 3,000 members of the Air Force who died in service. The Porcinarium is an unusual museum, dedicated entirely to pigs and located at the Agricultural Research Council’s Institute for Animal Improvement.
Centurion offers visitors a wide range of opportunities for entertainment and recreation. Centurion Lake is a focal point of the city, with a sparkling fountain decorated with multicoloured lights. Centurion Shopping Centre, on the lake’s border, offers a plethora of enticing stores and restaurants. Sports fans will be in their element in Centurion, with the SuperSport Stadium offering world class cricket matches, and a number of golf courses nearby.
Just 50kms from Centurion are the Sterkfontein Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage site where ancient hominid fossils have been discovered. Centurion is also only 40 minutes by road from Johannesburg, with its endless range of cultural, historical and recreational attractions.
Because Centurion is conveniently located between Johannesburg and Pretoria it has easily accessible connections to every important centre in Gauteng Province. By car, it can be reached via the N1 highway. Buses and coaches run regularly between Centurion and other centres in South Africa. The main railway line moves through its centre, providing excellent train links to the rest of the country. Johannesburg International Airport is within easy access of Centurion, approximately 40 minutes by car.
