Name: Castle of Good Hope
Rating: 2

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Castle of Good Hope

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Castle of Good Hope

Recommended by 9 hikers

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Location: South Africa

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Best Hikes to Castle of Good Hope

4.6

(26)

210

hikers

1. View of Camps Bay – View of Cape Town loop from Cape Town Station

16.2km

04:58

560m

Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Intermediate

4.6

(7)

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2. View of Camps Bay – View of Lion's Head loop from Cape Town Station

18.8km

05:51

650m

Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Expert

4.5

(2)

hikers

3. V&A Waterfront Clock Tower – V&A Waterfront Swing Bridge loop from Esplanade

20.6km

05:17

90m

Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Expert

Tips

Maik

January 15, 2019

The castle was built as Casteel de Goede Hoop from 1666-79 and is today the oldest surviving European building in South Africa. The pentagonal building was built of stone and the zeitgeist, according to European models.

Translated by Google •

lelNicolel

March 17, 2025

- Built: Between 1666 and 1679 by the Dutch East India Company (VOC).

- Purpose: Served as a military fortress and administrative center of the Cape Colony.

- Architecture: Pentagonal floor plan with bastions.

- Oldest surviving colonial building in South Africa.

- Built by a total of 60,000 slaves, mostly from Asia, Madagascar, and Mozambique.

- They feared that taking the slaves from South Africa would lead to uprisings.

- Local slaves had local allies and could quickly escape and attack.

Use:

- Formerly: Protection from attacks, storage of supplies, and a prison.

- Today: Museum and cultural center with military history exhibitions.

Special Features:

- Bell tower with South Africa's oldest bell (cast in 1697).

- Ceremonies such as the daily handover of the keys and cannon firings.

- Tourist Significance: One of Cape Town's most visited historical attractions.

- Symbolism: connecting the colonial past with modern reappraisal

Translated by Google •

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Details

Informations

Elevation 10 m

Weather

Today

Friday 10 October

22°C

15°C

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Max wind speed: 11.0 km/h

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Take Me There

Location: South Africa

Castle of Good Hope

1. View of Camps Bay – View of Cape Town loop from Cape Town Station

2. View of Camps Bay – View of Lion's Head loop from Cape Town Station

3. V&A Waterfront Clock Tower – V&A Waterfront Swing Bridge loop from Esplanade

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