Leo Tolstoy

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About Leo Tolstoy

Developed in cooperation with the Johannesburg Heritage Foundation

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Roodepoort 302-IQ, 1835
18 May 2023

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COUNT LEO TOLSTOY (1828-1910) Gandhi was inspired by the Russian author and moralist Leo Tolstoy, and the two exchanged letters expressing deep mutual admiration. Both shared core ideas of non-violence, identified with the poor and down-trodden, and committed to transforming their lives accordingly. GandhiÕs ideals of civil disobedience guided by the voice of conscience, together with a life of material simplicity, as practised at Tolstoy Farm, were akin to those taught by Tolstoy.

Photo courtesy: Kabelo Mokoena (Sunday Times)

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A culmination of research gathered over many years, the Online Johannesburg Heritage Register is being launched on Nelson Mandela Day 18 July 2025.

Among the many heritage sites featured is Chancellor House, the downtown offices of Mandela and Tambo Attorneys in the 1950s. After having been vacant and shuttered for more than a decade, this iconic building is being revived and brought to life once again as offices for the Community Development Department, which oversees the City’s Arts, Culture & Heritage Services.