Highly urbanised Gauteng is located in the heart of South Africa's Highveld. Although it is the smallest province, Gauteng is the economic powerhouse of South Africa, if not the entire African continent. This is in no small part due to the area having the world's richest goldfields, and it is for this reason that Gauteng is known as Igoli – the Place of Gold. Business and the pursuit of wealth are the preoccupations of many “Gautengers”, but the province does offer a great deal to the tourist looking for an authentic African experience. Gauteng is the country's culture and entertainment capital and the unique multi-cultural and cosmopolitan city attitudes means that there is are numerous theatres, art galleries, vibey nightclubs, cultural precincts and craft markets. But Gauteng offers more than just a good night out. It is also home to numerous game reserves and important archaeological sites including the Cradle of Humankind, where evidence has been found that civilisation indeed started in Africa. Here you can see the fossil of “Mrs Ples” at the Sterkfontein Caves, or learn about the story of mankind at the interactive Maropeng visitor's centre. There is accommodation at the centre in the form of a hotel, and a dormitory for school learners. Johannesburg is Gauteng 's largest city, and the economic hub of the country. Nearby Soweto was the location of many political skirmishes during the struggle, and visitors can learn about this legacy at the Apartheid Museum and the Hector Pieterson Museum. There are lovely bed and breakfast accommodation places in Soweto, and visitors can make the most of the township culture by staying the night. Pretoria , just north of Johannesburg , is the capital of South Africa and is home to the Union Buildings , the Voortrekker Monument and lovely shopping malls.Visit Gauteng as a tourist destination in its own right or use it as a springboard to the game reserves and other nature highlights of Mpumalanga and Limpopo .