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Cape Town · History

From the Castle to Mandela's Balcony

In barely a mile and a half, central Cape Town sums up three and a half centuries of history: the arrival of the Dutch East India Company in 1652, the slavery that kept the colony running, the forced removals of apartheid and the turning point of 1990. This route tells the story with dates and names, and gives the communities who lived through it their rightful place. Walk it by day and keep your phone tucked away, as you would in any big city.

  • 6 stops
  • 1.7 km
  • 1 h 40 min
  • Free
Start with GPS Read about this stop 1
Cape Town City Hall and its clock tower seen from the Grand Parade

The route

Stop by stop

  1. 1 Castle of Good HopeFive stone bastions raised by the Dutch East India Company with enslaved labour: the oldest building in South Africa.
  2. 2 Grand Parade and Mandela's BalconyFrom that honey-coloured stone balcony, Nelson Mandela addressed the nation a few hours after leaving prison on 11 February 1990.
  3. 3 District Six MuseumA whole neighbourhood of more than 60,000 people wiped off the map by apartheid, and an old Methodist church that keeps its memory alive.
  4. 4 Slave LodgeFor more than a century this Company building held hundreds of enslaved men, women and children, a stone's throw from the town's garden.
  5. 5 St George's CathedralThe ‘people's cathedral’, from whose steps Desmond Tutu led the great march of 1989 against apartheid.
  6. 6 Houses of ParliamentThe building where apartheid was written into law is also where, on 2 February 1990, its end was announced.

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Start with GPS

Guide mode

Walk it with GPS.

Open guide mode on your phone: you’ll see your position and the distance to each stop, and we’ll let you know when you arrive. Then read or listen.

Start with GPS

  1. Turn on your location

  2. Walk to the spot

  3. Check the photo and listen

What you’ll discover

From the Castle to Mandela's Balcony

The oldest fortress

The Castle of Good Hope, built between 1666 and 1679, is the oldest surviving building in South Africa.

Community memory

The District Six Museum and the Slave Lodge tell the story from the side of those who suffered it.

February 1990

From De Klerk's speech in Parliament to the City Hall balcony where Mandela spoke nine days later.

Keep exploring

More routes in Cape Town

Back to Cape Town
Mysteries & legendsCurses, Ghosts and Ships That Never Make Port MixedFrom the Company's Vegetable Patch to the Painted Houses

Itineraries

How many days do you have in Cape Town?

We’ve planned it day by day for you: which routes to walk and in what order, what else to see and where to eat.

1

Cape Town in 1 day

All three routes in one full day: the highlights, the history and the legends at dusk.

See the itinerary 2

Cape Town in 2 days

A gentler pace: the three routes over two days, plus extra sights and where to eat.

See the itinerary 3

Cape Town in 3 days

The city in depth: one route a day, extra museums and neighbourhoods, and a day for good food.

See the itinerary