Marble Hall

Marble Hall is a small town in the Limpopo / Mpumalanga border, 28km north of Groblersdal. Marble Hall was established in the 1940’s after the discovery of marble in the area and the development of a marble mine, and was originally called marble hole, and variations of that, but it changed in time to nicer sounding Marble Hall.

Though Marble is no longer mined there, the little town can be proud of its heritage, in all its sadness and grandeur. The marble that was once mined there was discovered when a woman was searching  for suitable rocks to place as headstones at the head of the graves of her father-in-law and son, who sickened and died on a hunting trip in the 1940’s.

Today, there are hundreds of buildings in South Africa and around the world adorned with the excellent quality marble mined there, including South Africa House in London – an amazing epitaph to the two men who perished there.

The area thrives today on farming and eco-tourism on the 28km tract of farmland, game farms and private nature reserves in the lush area between Marble Hall and Groblersdal, as well drier bushveld areas in and around Marble Hall.

Attractions near Marble Hall include the Loskop Dam Nature Reserve and the township of Siyabuswa – the Capital of the Ndebele Homeland during Apartheid years. The Ndebele culture is remarkable in its artistry, and it’s well worth a trip 30km to the north west to visit the Siyabuswa township, view traditional homes and buy Ndebele arts and crafts.

Getting there: Take the N11 north to Marble Hall, then a left on to the R33 for Marble Hall.