History of Cape Town

Groot Constantia is identifiable by its long, white, gabled Cape Dutch manor house that sits against the backdrop of the Constantiaberg mountains. Established in sixteen eighty-five by Simon van der Stel, the commander and later governor…

The Company’s Garden is recognized by the long, tree-lined avenue that runs through its center, shaded by mature oaks and frequented by resident squirrels. It is the oldest cultivated urban space in South Africa, originating in sixteen…

The Iziko Slave Lodge is a building with plain, heavy walls located at the corner of Adderley and Wale Streets. Built in sixteen seventy-nine, it stands as one of the oldest structures in Cape Town and was commissioned by the Dutch East…

The Auwal Masjid on Dorp Street is identified by its gray walls and traditional Islamic architectural features. Established in seventeen ninety-four, it is the oldest mosque in South Africa. The building originated as a warehouse that was…

Greenmarket Square is identified by its hand-dressed granite cobblestones and the surrounding colonial-era buildings, most notably the Old Town House. Established in sixteen ninety-six, the square began as a site for the Burgher Watch,…

Cape Town City Hall is easily recognized by its honey-colored oolitic limestone facade, imported from Bath, England, and a prominent clock tower modeled on London's Big Ben. Completed in nineteen oh five, the Edwardian building anchors the…

The District Six Museum occupies a former Methodist mission church on Buitenkant Street. Its floor is dominated by a large, hand-painted map of the former District Six, where former residents have inscribed their names and the locations of…

Robben Island sits low and flat in the waters of Table Bay, a few miles off the coast of Cape Town. Its name comes from the Dutch word for seals, reflecting the days when the island served as a natural larder for passing ships. Over four…