Castle of Good Hope
A five-pointed star fortress built by the Dutch East India Company between 1666 and 1679. It is South Africa's oldest surviving colonial building and has a guard ceremony and a military museum.
The Castle of Good Hope was built by the Dutch East India Company and is the oldest surviving colonial building in South Africa. Its five bastions are named after titles of Dutch princes. The castle originally stood right on the coast, but after land reclamation it now sits in the city center. Inside are a military museum, a collection of colonial-era paintings and furniture by William Fehr, dungeons and the governor's balcony. On weekdays at 10:00 and 12:00 there is a key-handover ceremony and a cannon firing (times may vary, so check on site). Adult admission costs about ZAR 50 to 100. It is open roughly 09:00 to 16:00, with English-language guided tours. The castle is on Darling Street, right beside Cape Town City Hall (where Mandela gave his first speech after his release in 1990, from the balcony) and the Grand Parade, and you can walk between them.
Opening hours
About 09:00–16:00
Nearby sights
- District Six Museum
- Greenmarket Square
- Company's Garden
- Bo-Kaap
- Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa
- Two Oceans Aquarium
- V&A Waterfront
- Signal Hill