South Africa's Constitutional Court, Johannesburg

Situated on Constitution Hill, the Constitutional Court of South Africa is a building that maps the turbulent recent history of South Africa. The modern courthouse is built from bricks first used to build a wing of Johannesburg Fort, one of the most notorious prison complexes in the world. The fort was first built in the 1890s by German colonel A.H. Schiel. Initially an armed garrison, it was intended to keep order amongst the transient early mining communities. The fort was first used as a prison following the conclusion of the Boer War. Mahatma Gandhi was imprisoned here, and Nelson Mandela was held in the prison hospital before being interred at Robben Island.

As much as the now-closed fort and surrounding prison buildings are reminders of South Africa’s troubled past, the Constitutional Court points to a bright, stable future. South Africa only received its first constitution in 1994, in an effort to reverse years of institutional discrimination under the apartheid regime. The court is a modern building fashioned from the rubble of the fort, and the judgments passed within it have enhanced its reputation as a symbol for a modern South Africa. The death penalty was abolished here in 1995, and homosexuality made legal in 1998. The courthouse is open to any visitors that would like to sit in on a session, and guided tours are also available.