Cape Town - The History Walk

Situated in the narrow confines of a peninsula, Cape Town, the historic Mother City of South Africa, is custom made for visitors who like to do their touring on foot. For most of the year the weather is ideal for roaming around outdoors. If you're a history lover, Cape Town has the distinction of being one of the most historically strategic places in the world. The best way for you to see the important historic sights is with a tour group. A good tour leader can tell you the stories of Cape Town's turbulent past. The walk covers about three kilometres and takes a minimum of two hours.

Starting Point: The Castle of Good Hope

The star-shaped Castle of Good Hope is South Africa's oldest European fortification. It was built by the Dutch to protect their trade route to the Far East, and to discourage attacks on their colony by native warriors. Just to the west of the fort is Grand Parade. This was the site of the original defensive work built by Jan van Riebeek, the founder of Cape Town. It was used as a military parade ground and a place for public executions. It is now used as a market place twice a week. Look up at the balcony of the Old Town Hall, and you will see the place where, in 1990, Nelson Mandela gave his first public speech in 27 years, following his lengthy incarceration.

District Six: Victim of Apartheid

A must see for anyone doing a Cape Town history walk is the District Six Museum. Here you learn the story of this inner-city community that was ruthlessly demolished by the apartheid regime in an attempt to uphold the whites-only law. The area is gradually being rebuilt. On a traffic island beside Church St. Square, you can see the site of the Old Slave Tree. It was here that slaves were auctioned off before 1834, when slavery was abolished throughout the British Empire. Not far away is the Old Slave Lodge, which is now a museum. Across from the Slave Lodge is the Groote Kirk (Great Church), which dates back to 1704. This is the mother church for the Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa.

Started Out as a Vegetable Patch

The Company's Garden's is a great place to take a break. This shady green area in the heart of Cape Town started out as a vegetable garden for the Dutch East India Company. Under Jan van Riebeeck and subsequent governors the garden was expanded and planted with exotic botanical specimens. Here you can see a statue of the South African statesman Cecil Rhodes. He brought in the North American squirrels whose descendants now scamper through the Gardens. After you leave the Gardens, pay a visit to St. George's Cathedral. This church dates back to 1834, and was for many years a bastion against apartheid.

Colourful Bo - Kaap

The Bo-Kaap district is a largely Muslim neighbourhood, and home to many of Cape Town's non-white residents; that is, people of mixed race or Asian background. Many are descendants of slaves brought in by the Dutch colonists centuries ago. This is a neighbourhood of brightly coloured homes, narrow streets, and interesting shops. It is advisable to visit here only with a group, and not after dark. You can learn much of the local story at the Bo-Kaap Museum. The Owal Mosque in Bo-Kaap is the oldest mosque in Cape Town.