Saxonwold, Johannesburg

About the suburb of Saxonwold

Saxonwold is one of Johannesburg's older suburbs, with wide roads edged with big, old trees winding through the avenues.  It is an upmarket suburb with a tranquil feel. There are many stately houses on big properties. There are 497 houses in this grand suburb and less than 300 sectional title homes. Jan Smuts Avenue is easily accessible and is one of the main roads from the city into the northern suburbs.   

Interesting facts about the history of Saxonwold

Saxonwold was originally part of a Braamfontein farm bought by Hermann Eckstein for mineral exploration. When this was unsuccessful, a timber plantation was created in 1891 called Sachsenwald.  At the beginning of World War I, the name was changed to an English version, and Saxonwold came into being. 

In 1903, 200 acres of the plantation ground were donated to the Johannesburg City Council to create the Herman Eckstein Park, on which Zoo Lake, the Johannesburg Zoo, and the South African Museum of Military History were later established.  The remainder of the plantation land was developed into a township in 1925, with all street names having Anglo-Saxon origins and ending in "wold." This is the Saxonwold suburb we know and love today.

Schools in the area

Saxonwold Primary School, Parktown Girls, and Parktown Boys are public schools closest to Saxonwold. Many private schooling options exist, particularly in Rosebank, Parktown, Houghton, and Melrose. For German schooling, the Deutsche Schule is in Parktown. For Afrikaans private instruction, Jan Celliers Laerskool is in Parkview, and Helmekaar Kollege (Hoerskool) is in Braamfontein, next to Wits.

Medical facilities in the area

Park Lane Clinic, Rosebank Clinic, and Milpark Hospital are excellent medical facilities near Saxonwold.

Shopping centers and malls in the area

Most residents of Saxonwold will head to Parkhurst, Melrose Arch, or Hyde Park Corner for meals and shopping. Rosebank Mall and The Firs, Rosebank offer a greater variety. Sandton City is the largest mall nearest to Saxonwold.

Things to do in Saxonwold

1. Saxonwold is home to Zoo Lake, a popular venue for dog-walking, joggers, and family picnics where children can feed the ducks, and row boats are also available for hire. 

2. We would be remiss not to mention the remarkable Johannesburg Zoo. There is an education center and a children's farm yard.  There are fairground rides and plenty of animals to visit. The "Zoo Trots" are routes that meander across the grounds throughout the year for early morning walkers and runners. There are also night runs with a chance of seeing animals usually only active at night. The Johannesburg Zoo

3. Villa d'Este, now home to a Camelot Day Spa, is a National Heritage site in Saxonwold.  An Italian style designed by Gordon Leith and built in 1923 with Roman-style frescoes and a lovely garden with fountains and cypress trees. 

4. Saxonwold is relatively close to the city center and the Braamfontein cultural area. The famous Mandela Bridge gives access to Newtown and the Market Theatre, known in the past for its anti-apartheid plays and other productions of artistic excellence, which challenged the apartheid regime with the conviction that cultural productions could change a divided society. 

5. The Civic Theatre is the home of the Joburg Ballet, and it is also a venue for festive season pantomimes, beloved by many year after year.

Distance to airports, main roads, and the CBD

The nearest airport to Saxonwold is the OR Tambo International Airport. It is 25 kilometers from Saxonwold. An alternative to driving to the airport would be to take the Gautrain from the Rosebank station.

The Sandton CBD is just 7 kilometers from Saxonwold, and the Johannesburg inner-city business district is just over 11 kilometers away.

Many Saxonwold residents in the medical field or lecturing at the Wits University enjoy the short commute to Parktown and Braamfontein, respectively. It is just 4 kilometers to the Wits University Campus and 4 kilometers to the Parktown area where the Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital, the Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital, and the Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre are found.

Weather in Saxonwold

Saxonwold, Johannesburg, has a beautiful climate all year round. Many homes are built to take advantage of the glorious weather. Long, hot summer days are often spent outside at the pool, on the tennis courts, or around the braai (barbeque). Spring and Autumn's days are usually warm enough to be outdoors without jackets, and the brave take their first swim of the season on September 1^st, Spring Day.

The winter months are brief but dry. It can get quite cold in the early mornings and at night. Saxonwold residents take full advantage of this by keeping warm around the braai or lighting fires in the fireplaces for a few short weeks every year (it's more of a celebration than a necessity). The winter months are a hectic sporting season for South African children, and most families spend weekday afternoons and weekends cheering around a sports field.

Make Saxonwold your home, your story.

Rose Rolfe is the Seeff estate agent dedicated to The Parks area of Sandton, Johannesburg, which includes the beautiful suburb of Saxonwold.  Rose is an award-winning agent and is the best person to advise you on a property purchase or sale in Saxonwold. She is up-to-date with the latest pricing and property market trends in Saxonwold and the surrounding suburbs. Speak to Rose today or browse her online portfolio here.