Castle Of Good Hope – Cape Town

There are certain areas in central Cape Town that are usually neglected by tourists. Castle of Good Hope is often overshadowed by the museums, Bo-kaap and Waterfront area.

Castle Of Good Hope was actually a significant place in the history of South Africa. It is also the oldest colonial building in South Africa. When it was first built by the first European settlers, particularly trading organization of Dutch East India Company, it was actually located next to the coastline. This was until the land reclamation that facilitated the urban expansion, so the castle is now inland.

The castle was built during a time period when the tension between Netherlands and Britain was continuously rising. The pentagonal fortress was built between 1666 and 1679 to serve as a messenger for approaching threats. When a possible threat was spotted from afar, the cannon balls were on the top of the walls were fired so that the fortress would alert and notify the surrounding fortresses. They also had their own cannons which got fired upon hearing the one from the castle, like a domino effect.

Other than defense purposes, the fortress was also used as a residential area at some point. The facilities included a church, bakery, workshops, living quarters and many more. During the Second Boer War between British and Dutch forces, the British forces used it as a prison for the Dutch commanders and soldiers who surrendered.

When you visit the castle, you can find many permanent exhibitions. For example, one section of the fortress was allocated for an exhibition by William Fehr, a businessman making a collection of paintings in the early 20th century. The paintings mostly depicted the early years of the settling of Dutch and British colonists and the wars of that era. Something interesting you will realize about the paintings is the exaggerated illustration of Table Mountain which shows their fascination by the landscape here.

Another exhibition in the fortress is about the international relationship between Australia and South Africa, mainly the boycott policy of Australia towards South Africa during the Apartheid years. The most apparent boycott came from the Australian sportsmen who refused to play against South Africa. This created a controversy all over the world and was acclaimed by many people.

Other exhibitions include a military exhibition and a ceramics museum. The Military Museum is very explanatory about the military tactics of Dutch East India Company and the wars that occurred upon the arrival of British forces. You can find artifacts of the war equipment. The ceramics museum exhibits the pottery that was used when the castle was a residential area.

After you are finished with the museums, don’t forget to take a walk at the top of the castle. You will see the stunning views of the Table Mountain and the neighborhoods on its outskirts.