Interesting Facts about Cape Town
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. 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.
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.
Interesting facts about Cape Town
V & A Waterfront, Cape Town
So here are just a few of the countless interesting facts about Cape Town 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. 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 in the country, circa 1652. 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.
View of Robben Island, Lions Head and Signal Hill from Table Mountain
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 their 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.
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.
Noon Gun in Cape Town
The Cape Winelands
The origin of the Cape Winelands make a very interesting fact about Cape Town. Van Riebeeck was also tasked with planting vineyards in Cape Town to produce wine and table grapes for the 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.
The Table Mountain table cloth
Table Mountain, A Cape Town Icon
Long before anyone actually got to Southern Africa, the sea levels dropped, and this huge rock appeared out of the ocean. Previously an island millions of years ago, Table Mountain now towers over 1000 metres above the city creating what is probably one of the most famous cityscapes in the world. Table Mountain is also one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature. The mountain gets its name from the table cloth like cloud that covers it when the infamous South East wind blows. Capetonians are so proud of it they even light the whole mountain up, on some nights.
View of Table Mountain from Melkbosstrand.
Happy Feet in Cape Town
Not only does Cape Town have many geological attractions, it also has a lot of animal attractions, 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 1000’s of them 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 close range.
African Penguins – Boulders Beach
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.
View from Den Anker Belgian restaurant, V & A Waterfront
Visit: Den Anker
Cape Town Cycle Tour
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 hit +42°C, and then in 2009 & 2017 when gale force winds in excess of 100km/h blew cyclists off their bikes. Google for vids & pics.
Bo-Kaap residential area, Cape Town city bowl.
V & A Waterfront
The V & A Waterfront, a shopping and culinary paradise
As part of South Africa’s oldest working harbour, The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront receives in excess of 23 million visitors a year. With over 450 retail shops spanning 123 hectares, the shopping centre has contributed ZAR 200 billion (US $14 billion) to the South African economy over the last 10 years.
V & A Waterfront, 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 800metre walk from the nearest parking to the beach.
The 12 Apostles, Camps Bay
Founded in 1913 in order to preserve South Africa’s unique flora, The Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens boasts over 7000 plant species. Nestling on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain, the gardens are one of 9 in the country covering 5 of South Africa’s 6 biomes. Kirstenbosch gardens were also the first gardens in the world to be founded on the ethos of preserving a countries plant life.
Bo-Kaap residential area, Cape Town city bowl.
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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EPIC post and photo journal. brought back sooo many awesome memories of my trips to capetown. the penguins, cape point, fish and chips. driving those cobras. ahhhh good times
Great post about a beautiful city.
Many years ago I was told that a large part of the success of the gardens was the fact that Table Mountain is porous. So all of the water from the classic “Table Cloth” which falls on the top quickly filters through to water the gardens.
True? I couldn’t tell you. That’s what I was told.
I can believe that about the mountain watering the gardens, and probably the rest of that area as it all appears greener and more leafy on that side, Clermont, Newlands etc. I find the geography of the whole area fascinating.
Africa has been on our list for a long time, but now that know it also has the oldest wine industry outside of Europe and has one of the longest wine routes in the world, it jumped up! LOL So many interesting things I did know about Cape Town. Thanks for sharing!
These few facts are just part of the proverbial tip of the iceberg, there is so much more to Cape Town, and South Africa in general. So go on, book those flights! 😉
Would love to visit Cape Town one day. One of my contributors recently went and I was fawning over the pictures. Great post and lovely photos!
Even if you go to Cape Town just for the culinary experience, it’ll be worth it 🙂 I can only take credit for the writing, Sabine took all the photos.
The view of the Table mountain from Melkbosstrand looks awesome with the clouds hovering over the mountain. Its incredible that they light up whole of the mountain, must be a stunning sight to behold.
I keep reading about Cape Town and the more I read about it the more I want to go. I’m not sure if its the penguins, the way the clouds come off Table Mountain, or something else, but I really would love to go someday, it looks amazing.
It is so amazing that Sabine and I have just taken the decision to move there 🙂 But it is also a great place for a holiday. Cape Town has just knocked Bali out of first place as the best value for money holiday destination in the world, so come on down!
I have always wanted to visit Cape Town. Would love to see the penguins on Boulders Beach! I’ll be pinning this one for trip planning.
Such a cool city! I love the fact about the guns, and I’ve actually read about the botanical gardens several times. I have no clue when we’ll make it to South Africa, but I look forward to it so much.
I didn’t know most of these facts, not that the city is so colourful! Loved reading about it: I have a friend going there in a few days for work so I’m passing your post onto her – i know she’ll love it!
My kids absolutely loved Boulders Beach. I think it was the highlight of their Cape Town experience. It has started a long lasting love affair for them with Penguins.
To see the Penguins at Boulders is so beautiful. They are so funny to watch. I can imagine this was the highlight for your children there 🙂
Will get to Africa (and South Africa) one day soon hopefully. Great article with some really great detail. I drank a bit of South African wine in Vietnam last week. Gave me a good feel about the types of wineries they must have there.
There is plenty more wine where that came from, a very wide variety. If you are any kind of a wine connoisseur, South Africa has world class quality.
This was pretty surprising, I had no idea Cape Town had penguins or such rich culture. I’m trying to live in 10 countries and have never set foot in Africa, so maybe South Africa is the place?
Yes, South Africa is definitely the place, especially Cape Town 🙂 There is something for everyone. This article is only the tip of the iceberg.
Wow Cape Town was never on my ‘possible next destination list’ but i think i have to write it on the list now.
It looks wonderful, especially Bo-Kaap.
x
You should put it on your list.
I love reading posts like this with some usual snippets of information that I just wouldn’t have known otherwise! Like who knew that wine was thought to ward off scurvy!! I am desperate to go to South Africa and visit the wine lands. That was the last trip my father made before he passed away and he loved it.
You must come visit the Cape winelands, they are a wine lovers paradise! 🙂
My #1 bucket list item in Africa! Love the happy feet, Bo-Kaap, and the 12 Apostles. Gotta go!
I didn’t realize Cape Town is so diverse. The view from Table Mountain looks amazing. Do you know how long the hike up there takes?
The shortest route up is from the lower cable station via Plateklip gorge which takes me about 3 hours. The more scenic route from the other side above Camps Bay takes about 5 hours. If you don’t feel like hiking down again, which can be harder than the climb up, you can buy a one way down cable car ticket at the upper cable station. Start your hike early and pay very careful attention to the time and weather.
This is the second post I am reading on Table Mountain. The place has charmed me.
The penguins have surprised me. So thrilling that you could capture them so close.
There is something about the mountain which captures a lot of peoples attention. You can no longer walk among the penguins, but the wooden viewing walkways are close enough, you can be as little as 2 metres away from a penguin.
The Table Mountain is iconic and everytime I see it, I know it’s about Capetown. It makes the cityscape much more dramatic and picturesque!
I’m hoping to visit here early next year as a part of an African adventure I have planned. The penguins alone are a big enough draw for me to visit.. little cuties!! 🙂