The Castle of Good Hope
For those searching for cultural outings to participate in during their Cape Town vacations, how about a trip to the Castle of Good Hope? The castle is South Africa's oldest surviving building and one of Cape Town's iconic landmarks, it is definitely worth
a visit at some point during your stay in Cape Town.
The Castle of Good Hope, named at a time when the Cape was referred to as the Cape of Good Hope, was built by Jan van Riebeek and the Dutch East India Company. The building was completed in 1969 and is an example of a star fort design.
Its position indicates the original position of the shoreline, which has been extensively changed due to land reclamation, at high tide the waves would lap against the door.
Today the building functions as a museum which showcases the 18th century décor which has been restored for this purpose. The William Fehr Collection is partly housed in the museum and partly in Rust en Vreugd, a historical museum house that also operates out of the city center, if you are curious to see the rest of the collection.
William Fehr was a businessman who collected the furniture, oil paintings and antique china, among others and sold it to the South African government in the first half of the 20th century. It indicates the lifestyle and tastes of settlers in the Cape colony.
The Castle of Good Hope museum includes a lovely tea room with a view of Table Mountain and the service is as good as that offered at any of the five star hotels in Cape Town. As it is situated near the train station and a major bus terminal, it is very easily accessible, whether you stay in Clifton Cape Town or one of the Cape Town guest houses found in the lush Southern Suburbs.
a visit at some point during your stay in Cape Town.
The Castle of Good Hope, named at a time when the Cape was referred to as the Cape of Good Hope, was built by Jan van Riebeek and the Dutch East India Company. The building was completed in 1969 and is an example of a star fort design.
Its position indicates the original position of the shoreline, which has been extensively changed due to land reclamation, at high tide the waves would lap against the door.
Today the building functions as a museum which showcases the 18th century décor which has been restored for this purpose. The William Fehr Collection is partly housed in the museum and partly in Rust en Vreugd, a historical museum house that also operates out of the city center, if you are curious to see the rest of the collection.
William Fehr was a businessman who collected the furniture, oil paintings and antique china, among others and sold it to the South African government in the first half of the 20th century. It indicates the lifestyle and tastes of settlers in the Cape colony.
The Castle of Good Hope museum includes a lovely tea room with a view of Table Mountain and the service is as good as that offered at any of the five star hotels in Cape Town. As it is situated near the train station and a major bus terminal, it is very easily accessible, whether you stay in Clifton Cape Town or one of the Cape Town guest houses found in the lush Southern Suburbs.
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