« A breath of sanity from Down Under. | Main | Ongoing tragedy »
December 30, 2004
Inside the Castle of Good Hope
Governor Simon van der Stel had the the imposing residence built inside the Castle between 1760 and 1780. It has now been beautifully restored and houses a superb collection of historic paintings and furniture reflecting the history of the Cape and the castle.
The imposing entrance to the Governor's Residence inside the Castle of Good Hope.
The Castle is the scene of a daily ceremony of mounting sentries and the "opening" of the gates. Known as the ceremony of the Keys, it takes place at 1130 every morning. As it finishes the Noon Gun is fired from Signal Hill and a reply is made from the Castle by firing a small brass signal gun in the courtyard.
The "Guard" parade carrying the weapons and wearing a uniform based on the Dutch garrison uniforms from the 18th Century.
The Castle Garrison parades a guard for the Ceremony of the Keys. Two "Pikemen" are flanked by four Musketeers while the Sergeant of the Guard requests the keys from the Governor.
Any castle ghosts would not feel out of place - the ceremony is one that recreates the daily routine of opening the gates for petitioners, visitors, and business and the changing of the sentries. The signal guns were fired to convey messages between the lookout point (and small battery) on Signal Hill - located on the Lion's Rump - and the Castle Garrison. Even in bad weather the report from these guns can be clearly heard at both locations.
The government has changed, the faces have changed, the history lives on as a reminder of what was both good and bad - and of the mistakes from which we must learn.
Posted by The Gray Monk at December 30, 2004 10:35 AM