South Africa has many big cities, and a whole lot of smaller towns and villages sprinkled in between. The country is also well known as ‘The Rainbow Nation’, and for good reason. South Africa almost has it all in as far as cultural diversity goes.

But over and above local cultures, there are also Germans, Chinese, Malaysians, Australians, Americans, Belgians, and the list goes on. You will find these various international cultures sprinkled through out the country, yet there is one city where South Africa’s cultural diversity is the most apparent, one city where you will find someone from almost anywhere.

Are you planning to visit Cape Town and would like to learn more about the city, its culture and its history? Or would you just love to know more about this amazing city and learn some new, fun and interesting facts about Cape Town most people probably don’t know? We’ve got you covered.

Interesting Cape Town facts

Considered to be one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world, an international cosmopolitan melting pot of people, culture and food, the city I speak of is…..drum roll, if you please……see the title of this article.

So, here are just a few of the countless interesting Cape Town facts that make it what it is: Mine, and millions of other peoples favourite place to live or visit.

Cape Town is also known as ‘The Mother City’

Founded in 1652 by Jan Van Riebeeck as a place for The Dutch East India Company to grow fresh produce for passing ships, Cape Town is also affectionately known as ‘The Mother City’ as it was the first established European settlement in South Africa. A very common running joke however is that Cape Town is a very laidback city (that part is true) and it takes 9 months to get anything done (this is debatable though).

The Company’s Garden is the oldest garden in South Africa

The original veggie patch, or ‘The Company’s Garden’ as it is officially known still exists to this day, smack bang in the middle of the city. It still has the oldest cultivated pear tree (the saffron pear tree) in the country, which was planted circa 1652 during the time of Jan Van Riebeeck. Now a very well maintained garden full of indigenous plant species, it makes for a nice relaxing stroll or picnic right in the bustling city centre of Cape Town.

Cape Town is one of the three capitals of South Africa

South Africa has three official capital cities, each with their own roles. Pretoria is the administrative and executive capital, Bloemfontein the judicial capital and Cape Town the legislative capital.

The first Cableway on Table Mountain was built in 1929

The first Cableway to the top of Table Mountain opened on October 4th, 1929 and took four years to build. The cable cars in the early days could carry up to 25 people each. In 1997, ‘Rotair’ cable cars were installed to replace the old ones. These advanced, much faster cables cars have a rotating floor, giving the 65 visitors they can hold the opportunity to enjoy a 5 minute 360° view of the city of Cape Town.

The Noon Day Guns of Signal Hill

Also known as ‘The Lion’s Rump’, Signal Hill is home to the worlds oldest working ‘guns’ (very big cannons). Before telegraphs were brought to South Africa, the guns were originally used to signal the arrival of ships as their sound travelled faster than a messenger on a horse. This was to notify the farmers in the interior to bring fresh produce. The guns were initially set up in the city centre, but due to the rather loud bang upsetting people and horses, they were moved up to Signal Hill where they are still in use to this day.

In addition to signal duty, the guns were also used since 1806 as a time keeper for ships to synchronise their chronometers to. If a ship was many kilometres away, they would have to instead synchronise their clocks on the puff of smoke in compensation for the speed of sound. Representing one of Cape Towns oldest living traditions, the British made 18 pound smooth bore muzzle loaders are still being fired at exactly 12 noon everyday, except Sundays and public holidays. Both the main and backup have only ever failed to fire on schedule once since 1806 due to a technical difficulty with the remote control relay in 2005.

TIP: You may go up to the guns everyday, except Sundays and public holidays, for free, to watch them being fired. Do not set up cameras/GoPros too close, and put your fingers in your ears, trust me. Stand well back, they will advise you of this. Visiting the Noon Guns at Signal Hill is one of the many nice and free things to do in Cape Town.

Cape Town is home to two Unesco World Heritage Sites

Both Robben Island, since 1999, and the Cape Floristic Region, since 2004, have been inscribed as a World Heritage Site and can be visited while in Cape Town. The Cape Floristic Region protected areas include eight areas of which Table Mountain national park is one.

Robben Island was not always a prisoners island

Robben Island is located 11 kilometres from the shores of Cape Town in Table Bay. It was named Robben Island (Afrikaans for seal island) after the huge colonies of seals found there. It became world famous during Apartheid when former South African president Nelson Mandela was jailed there for 18 of his 27 years of imprisonment. During the 19th century, the island was used as a leper colony and animal shelter station. Today, Robben Island is a museum in remembrance of the atrocities of Apartheid. It is also a conservation area to protect local bird and marine life.

Cape Town is partly built over the sea

Known as the ‘Cape Town Foreshore Plan’, land was claimed from the Atlantic Ocean in Table Bay way back in the 1940’s. As the city of Cape Town grew bigger, and seeing as they could not build further up the slopes of the mountain, the idea arose to claim land from the sea. The expansion of new land was around 194 hectares and is where today one can find the railway station, the Cape Town International Convention centre and the civic centre.

The Castle of Good Hope is the oldest colonial building in South Africa

Built in the 17th century, it has the distinctive shape of a pentagon. It was completed in 1679 as a bastion fort to protect the city from intruders by sea. The position of the castle used to be on the original shoreline, but is now more inland due to the Foreshore Plan to claim land from the ocean. This is also why the Caste of Good Hope is located on Strand street. (strand means beach in Afrikaans, or Dutch)

The first wine in The Cape Winelands was produced in 1659

The origins of the Cape Winelands dates back to the Dutch settlers. Among other things, and due to the favourable climate, Jan Van Riebeeck was also tasked with planting vineyards in Cape Town to produce wine and table grapes for passing sailors as a means to help ward off scurvy. The South African wine industry has since grown into one of the most well known in the world. It is also the oldest wine industry outside of Europe and has one of the longest wine routes in the world. Starting just outside of Cape Town, Route 62 runs for 850km and ends in Port Elizabeth.

Boulders Beach Penguins – Happy Feet in Cape Town

Not only does Cape Town have many geological attractions, it also has a lot of wildlife attractions, and in their own natural habitats. In the early 1980’s at Boulders Beach in Simon’s Town along the Cape Town peninsula, just 2 breeding pairs of African penguins showed up, and never left. Today, there are now thousands of penguins in Cape Town calling Boulders beach their home. What makes this even more interesting is Boulders beach is right in the middle of a residential area which allows the little birds to be observed at very close range.

The worlds first heart transplant was in Cape Town

The worlds first ever heart transplant was performed in Cape Town at Groote Schuur Hospital by Dr Christiaan Barnard on 3 December 1967. Although the patient only lived for 2 weeks afterwards, having died from pneumonia, it was considered a success. This transplant pioneered and paved the way for what has become one of the most routine operations today.

The ‘Cape Doctor’ keeps the city healthy and clean

If you’ve already visited or lived in Cape Town you’ve met the Cape Doctor. And if you’re planning on visiting Cape Town, be sure to be ready to meet him. The Cape Doctor keeps the city healthy and clean. Also known as ‘the South Easter’, this very strong and dry wind blows persistently from August up to April. It is locally named the Cape Doctor because it blows everything away; the smog, the pollution and the contamination, making the sky clean and clear again.

Cape Town Cycle Tour is the world’s biggest individually timed cycle race

It started in 1978 with just a few hundred participants in an effort to bring attention to the need for cycle paths in South Africa. Now with as many as 35 000 cyclists taking part, it makes Cape Town the host of the worlds biggest individually timed cycle race. In its history, The Cape Town Cycle Tour has been stopped 3 times due to bad weather: In 2002 when temperatures reached +42°C, and then in 2009 & 2017 when gale force winds (a.k.a the Cape Doctor) in excess of 100km/h blew cyclists off their bikes. Google for vids & pics.

The Jetset of Cape Town

Just over Table Mountain, palm trees, expensive classy restaurants, Humvees, Maseratis and Jaguars are the order of the day. Clifton, Camps Bay, Bakoven, Bantry Bay and Llandudno are also home to some of the most expensive and exclusive real estate in the world. You can be forgiven for thinking you are in Beverly Hills. Llandudno is also the access point to the well known but very secluded unofficial nudist beach of Sandy Bay. It is an 800 metre walk from the nearest parking to the beach.

The only nuclear power plant in Africa is in Cape Town

Cape Town is home to the only commercial nuclear power plant on the African continent. Located in Koeberg some 35 km from the Central Business District, the 2 nuclear reactors account for 5% of South Africa’s electricity production.

Of all the cities I have ever lived and worked in, Cape Town is the one I would most like to return to. It is a fantastic place for a holiday, but it also makes for an amazing standard of living and way of life. I look forward to returning one day soon.

Have you visited Cape Town on holiday? Do you live there? Would you like to visit or move to ‘The Mother’ of all cities?

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