View source for Nelson Mandela Square

{{Short description|Shopping centre in Johannesburg, South Africa}}
{{Distinguish|Nelson Mandela Park}}
{{Use South African English|date = September 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox street
| name                    = Nelson Mandela Square
| former_names            = Sandton Square
| namesake                = [[Nelson Mandela]]
| image                   = File:Nelson Mandela Square, December 2015.jpg
| image_size              = 240
| caption                 = The Square in 2015
| image_alt=View of the square in 2015
| postal_code             = 2196
| location                = [[Sandton]], [[City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality|Johannesburg]], South Africa
| website                 = {{URL|https://nelsonmandelasquare.co.za/}}
}}

'''Nelson Mandela Square''' is a [[shopping centre]] in [[Sandton]], Johannesburg, South Africa. It includes a large open area built to resemble a traditional European [[town square]], and an office complex. The centre was formerly known as '''Sandton Square''' and was named for the former [[president of South Africa]] and [[Internal resistance to apartheid|anti-apartheid]] activist [[Nelson Mandela]] in March 2004. A [[Statue of Nelson Mandela, Johannesburg|six-metre high statue of Mandela]] was unveiled at the square's renaming ceremony.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.southafrica.net/za/en/articles/entry/article-southafrica.net-nelson-mandela-square|title=Eish!|website=southafrica.net}}</ref><ref name="SAInfo">{{cite web|title=Joburg unveils Mandela statue|url=http://www.southafrica.info/mandela/mandela-statue.htm|author=Chandrea Gerber|work=South Africa Info – Joburg unveils Mandela statue|publisher=South Africa Info|access-date=12 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150414091617/http://www.southafrica.info/mandela/mandela-statue.htm|archive-date=14 April 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> It is attached to the large [[Sandton City]] shopping centre, together forming one of the largest retail complexes on the continent with over 400 stores. The [[Michelangelo Towers]] complex adjoins Nelson Mandela Square.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nelsonmandelasquare.co.za/shops/michelangelo-hotel/|title=Michelangelo Hotel : Nelson Mandela Square|website=nelsonmandelasquare.co.za|access-date=26 June 2020|archive-date=22 May 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240522111519/https://nelsonmandelasquare.co.za/shops/michelangelo-hotel/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==History==
The Square, then known by its original name of Sandton Square, was first opened to the public in 1994. The shopping centre was designed in a faux-Italian style {{clarify|date=June 2020}} and the square was designed to resemble [[Piazza San Marco|St Marks Square]] in Venice.<ref name="bentelPortfolio">{{Cite web|url=https://www.bentel.net/portfolio-items/nelson-mandela-square/|title=Nelson Mandela Square|access-date=26 June 2020|archive-date=29 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200629085814/https://www.bentel.net/portfolio-items/nelson-mandela-square/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Its design included a library, theatre and gallery.<ref name="bentelPortfolio"/>

On its 10th anniversary, in 2004, it was officially renamed Nelson Mandela Square after the unveiling of a bronze, six-metre tall statue of Mandela. It was the first public statue of Mandela in the country. It was commissioned in July 2002 and completed in February 2004 by South African Sculptors Kobus Hattingh and Jacob Maponyane. It weighs approximately 2.5 tons.

The decision to rename the Square after Mandela was criticised by some as Mandela had long stood for the disadvantaged and the square stands in the most opulent area of the country. Gary Vipond, the Square's manager, defended the decision by explaining that, "The Square is optimistic, expressive and confident, like the Madiba jive, and represents a sophisticated, eclectic, cosmopolitan success story."<ref name="SAInfo"/>

The shopping centre is connected to [[Sandton City]] and, together, they form the largest retail complex in Africa. The square itself is approximately 1000 square metres and houses many shops, restaurants and a library on the far end.<ref>{{cite web|title=Nelson Mandela Square: About Us|url=http://www.nelsonmandelasquare.co.za/libprop/content/en/nelson-mandelasquare/nelson-mandela-square-about-us|access-date=17 February 2016}}{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of awards and honours bestowed on Nelson Mandela]]
{{Commons category|Nelson Mandela Square}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|http://www.nelsonmandelasquare.com}}

{{Greater Johannesburg|econ}}
{{Shopping centres in South Africa}}
{{Nelson Mandela|state=collapsed}}
{{Authority control}}

{{Coord|-26.1074|28.0546|display=title}}

[[Category:2004 establishments in South Africa]]
[[Category:Nelson Mandela]]
[[Category:Shopping centres in Johannesburg]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Johannesburg]]