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December 01, 2004
De Kasteel de Goede Hoop
The "Castle" at Cape Town is the oldest building in Southern Africa. It was completed in its present form by 1790, having been started in 1686 as a fortress to defend the Dutch East India Company watering and provisioning station at the Cape. The design is a very 17th Century one of a central court with projecting bastions overlooking outworks which are in turn defending the inner bastions by preventing a direct approach or assault.
The entrance to the Castle of Good Hope.
The castle is a five pointed "star" design with each bastion bearing a name. The inner "ward" is divided into two parts by the "Governors House" which cuts across the width of the inner courtyard. The original gate faced the seashore, but this was closed in 1786 and the present gate replaced it. This was necessary because at high spring tides it was impossible to enter or leave the castle.
The castle has never been taken by assault but was surrendered to the British twice - once in 1795 after the defenders had been beaten in a battle fought at Blaauberg Strand and the second occassion in 1801 after a French Force which had been sent by Napoleon to bolster the Dutch defences refused battle to an inferior British Force and withdrew, leaving the Dutch to take the brunt of the fighting. With the Royal Navy in occupation in Simonstown and blockading Table Bay and the Royal Marines and units of the British Army in occupation on the mountain and in the Cape Flats - the garrison surrendered.
Today it is a museum, but still has a garrison and was, until the 1970's, the military HQ of the South African Defence Forces. Prior to this it had been the HQ of the British Forces in Southern Africa, but was handed over to the Union of South Africa as military HQ in 1917.
A great deal of effort has gone into preserving it, and restoring it to its glory days' state; there are some very interesting exhibitions and displays to be seen - and definitely not to be missed is the Ceremony of the Keys, the firing of the Noon Gun, and the responding Signal Gun, traditions kept alive by the Garrison and performed daily.
Worth every minute spent there!
Posted by The Gray Monk at December 1, 2004 10:52 AM
Comments
great joy being here..
Posted by: Kai Niklas at December 23, 2004 11:25 AM