Castle of Good Hope

The Castle of Good Hope is the pentagon-shaped fort the Dutch East India Company built at the Cape between 1666 and 1679, partly with slave labour. It is generally described as the oldest surviving colonial building in South Africa. It once stood on the shore of Table Bay, but land reclamation has left it inland, in the city centre. Go for the history of the early Cape, told from inside its walls.

What to expect

The five bastions carry the names of titles held by William III of Orange-Nassau: Leerdam, Buuren, Katzenellenbogen, Nassau and Oranje. Inside the walls are the Castle Military Museum, the William Fehr Collection of paintings and antique furniture, and the De Kat Balcony. The bell tower dates from 1684 and holds a bell cast in Amsterdam in 1697, said to be the oldest in the country. Wikipedia describes a Key Ceremony at 10am on weekdays, so ask at the gate whether it is running on the day you visit.

The castle has long served as the South African Army’s local headquarters in the Western Cape, and the Cape Town Highlanders regiment is based here, so expect uniforms as well as exhibits.

Practical details

The entrance is on the corner of Castle and Darling Streets in the city centre. The castle opens daily from 9am to 4pm, with the last tickets sold at 3:45pm. It is closed on Christmas Day and Workers’ Day. Telephone +27 21 461 4673.

Good to know

Give yourself at least an hour or two to walk the ramparts and see the collections. The District Six Museum is nearby on Buitenkant Street, so the two fit together easily into one morning. Remember that this was a place of colonial rule and slavery as well as a fortress, and the displays deal with both.

Last updated 6 October 2026. Sources: Castle of Good Hope, Wikipedia.