Castle of Good Hope

The Castle of Good Hope on Buitenkant Street in central Cape Town is the oldest surviving colonial building in South Africa. Built between 1666 and 1679 by the Dutch East India Company to defend the Cape's supply station, it is a five-bastioned pentagonal fortress surrounded by a moat, and it served as the seat of colonial government and later as a military headquarters. The bastions are named Leerdam, Buren, Katzenellenbogen, Nassau and Oranje, after titles of the Prince of Orange. Visitors enter through the main gate and the Kat, a balcony from which colonial governors made announcements, and move through a courtyard with a bell tower holding the oldest bell in South Africa. Inside, the military museum covers the history of the Cape garrison, while the William Fehr Collection displays Cape furniture, paintings and decorative art of the colonial period in the Governor's residence. Other sights include the Dolphin Pool, a dungeon area and the shops selling crafts. The key ceremony, held at about 10:00AM and noon, recreates the ritual of the guard handing over the keys, and it is accompanied by a cannon firing, which delights children and is the most popular time to visit. The ramparts offer views over the city and Table Mountain, and the courtyard is good for photography, particularly in morning light. A visit takes one to one and a half hours, longer if joining a guided tour. Crowds are largest when tour groups arrive around the ceremony times, and weekdays are quieter. Several restaurants and a wine bar operate within the castle grounds. The castle stands beside the Grand Parade and a short walk from the City Hall, District Six Museum and Cape Town station, so it fits easily into a walk through the historic centre.