When a railway siding was eventually established at this spot, the name was adopted, and it stuck after the discovery of gold in 1955 which resulted in a mushrooming settlement on the banks of the Sand River. Despite its rapid progress following the gold discoveries of the 1940s, Virginia has remained a beautiful, tranquil city enhanced by lovely gardens.
Virginia is surrounded by some of the largest gold fields in Free State, and mining, gold-extraction plants, and the manufacture of sulfuric acid from gold ore dominate its economy. It is also known for having the deepest pipe-mine into the earth on the planet.
Some of the deepest and richest mines in the world are found in this area. A mine tour will enable you to understand all the hard work that is involved in the mining of gold. Regular exhibitions of tribal dancing form part of some of the tours.
Virginia also boasts the place where the ring was made that was featured in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy!
