Cape Town City Hall

Cape Town City Hall stands on Darling Street beside the Grand Parade in the centre of Cape Town, South Africa. It was completed in 1905 in an Edwardian Baroque style, designed by the architects Harry Austin Reid and Frederick Green, and built of honey-coloured Bath stone imported from England. The building is topped by a clock tower modelled on that of Big Ben, containing a carillon of 39 bells cast in England and installed in the early 20th century. The hall was constructed as a symbol of the municipality's growth and civic pride after the discovery of gold and diamonds had transformed the economy of the region. Inside, it contains a large auditorium that has housed the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra and provided a venue for concerts and civic functions, as well as the council chambers and offices. The Grand Parade, the open square in front of it, had been a military parade ground and market since the 17th century and later served as a site for political rallies. The City Hall's modern fame rests on 11 February 1990, when Nelson Mandela, released from Victor Verster Prison earlier that day, stood on the first-floor balcony and addressed the crowd on the Grand Parade, a moment broadcast around the world. The balcony remains an object of pilgrimage, and a statue of Mandela on the balcony stands as a memorial. The building has been maintained through restoration work on the stone, clock and interior, and it remains a working civic building and event venue. Because the interior is used for events, access depends on the programme, and visitors can usually appreciate the facade, the clock tower and the Grand Parade from outside at any time. Nearby sites include the Castle of Good Hope and the Company's Garden, which makes the City Hall a convenient early stop on a heritage walk.