Travel Guide Francistown

The origin of the town is directly linked to the gold fever that gripped European researchers in the 1860s. German Karl Mauch was the first to discover the precious metal in the Tati River, which runs through Francistown. However, the town is named after British explorer Daniel Francis, who arrived in Tati two years later, in 1869, and obtained the right to prospect in the area. The latter had already proved to be particularly rich during the time it was worked by the ancient Karangan communities. In 1897 it was decided to establish a town, Francistown, and to open a new mine, The Monarch. In addition to the above, the city's cultural heritage is also important for the development of the city's cultural identity and the development of the city as a whole. Despite this, Francistown survived and prospered at a moderate level until the discovery of copper and nickel deposits in the 1970s. It then became the second largest city in the country, thanks to a real economic boom. With a population of over 100,000, it has seen the development of major industrial complexes and shopping centres. Francistown is an almost obligatory stop on the way to Zimbabwe or to the Chobe and Okavango regions. Like the capital, it has been westernized to the extreme, but has retained a hint of African atmosphere. A local food market is held daily in the city centre.