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VICTORIA & ALFRED WATERFRONT
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| V&A Waterfront | Cape Town and
Peninsula Attractions & Destinations: One of Cape Town's biggest tourist
attractions, the Waterfront evokes images of the early activities of the harbour. Much of
its charm lies in the fact that this busy commercial harbour is set in the midst of a huge
entertainment venue with pubs, restaurants, specialty shops, craft markets, theatres and
movies. |
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Situated between Robben
Island and Table Mountain in the heart of Cape Town's working harbour, the
Victoria & Alfred Waterfront has become South Africa's most visited destination. Set against a backdrop of
magnificent sea and mountain views, exciting shopping and entertainment venues are
intermingled with imaginative office locations, world-class hotels and luxury apartments
in the residential marina. We invite you to discover the experience... live, work, shop
and play at the V&A Waterfront.
Seal-watching is an amusing diversion. Visitors to the Two Oceans Aquarium will enjoy a
fascinating underwater world. The Maritime Museum focuses on the history of shipping from
prehistoric times to the present day. Boat trips around the harbour and along the coast
are always popular. Helicopter flips provide a broader perspective. The Information Centre
provides maps and information on special events planned for the day.
Waterfront Heritage Route: Calls for
greater public access and a wider use of Cape Town's historic harbour started in the early
1970's. In 1988, the then landowner (State-owned transport corporation, Transnet Limited)
established a wholly owned subsidiary company, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront (Pty)
Limited, to redevelop the historic docklands. This was received with large-scale public
acclaim.
Since its origins in 1860, the Port of Cape Town has been the scene of excavations,
reclamations, harbour construction programmes and land based developments. By the time
Prince Alfred* tipped the first load of stone into the sea to initiate construction of
Cape Town's harbour, the trade routes to the East had transformed the city into a hive of
seafront activity. The discovery of gold and diamonds in South Africa meant that the first
section of harbour, the Alfred Basin, had to be added to and the Victoria Basin was built.
(* Prince Alfred was Queen Victoria's second son)
The construction of the two harbour basins took place between 1860 and 1920, and the area
is notable for its outstanding heritage buildings. It retains the charm of Victorian
industrial architecture and the scale of a harbour built for sail and the early days of
steam travel. In the 1970s, containerisation had developed worldwide as the major method
of cargo handling and transportation. It was this, together with South Africa's economic
isolation at the time and the reopening of the Suez Canal, that led to a sharp reduction
in the utilisation of land and harbour facilities surrounding the Victoria & Alfred
Basins. At the time, Transnet was in the process of rationalising harbour facilities and
reviewing its harbour and other land holdings with particular emphasis on the returns
being generated by these assets.
Over the past 140 years, the harbour has undergone numerous changes, which continue even
today with the redevelopment of land and buildings surrounding the original Victoria &
Alfred Basins. The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront project is the culmination of nearly
three decades of planning and development proposals.
The Clock Tower: Situated near the site of the
original Bertie's Landing Restaurant, the Victorian Gothic-style Clock Tower has always
been an icon of the old docks and has become an important focal point in the Waterfront's
recent urban design. This was the original Port Captain's Office completed in 1882. On the
second floor is a decorative mirror room, which enabled the Port Captain to have a view of
all activities in the harbour. On the bottom floor is a tide-gouge mechanism used to check
the level of the tide. Restoration of the Clock Tower was completed towards the end of
1997.
Time Ball Tower: The Time Ball (invented by
Captain Robert Wauchope) is a signaling device in which a ball is dropped at a given time
in order for sips' masters to determine the error and rate of their chronometers whilst in
harbour. The Time Ball Tower in the Waterfront was built in 1894 and is situated next the
Harbour Engineer's former residence (Dock House). It remained in use for 40 years after
which new technology led to it lying idle for 63 years before being restored and
officially recommissioned in November 1997.
The Dragon Tree: The Dragon Tree (dracaeno
draco) planted next to the Time Ball Tower is a species originally from the Canary
Islands. Well over 100 years old, this is one of the largest of its type in Cape Town.
Believed to have been planted by a sailor passing through Cape Town, the sap
("dragons blood") of these trees was once popular as a medicine to treat
dysentery and diarrhea. Unfortunately, the Dragon Tree was severely damaged in storms of
2001. The leaves of the tree have all been cut off to allow the tree to regenerate.
Robben Island Embarkation Building: At the end of Quay 5
on Jetty 1 is the embarkation building for prisoners sent to Robben Island. Although the
purpose and use of the island changed a number of times over the last century or so, it
more recently gained international notoriety as a prison for contemporary political
figures including South Africa's first democratically elected President, Nelson Mandela.
The Robben Island Exhibition and Information Centre situated next door to the Clock Tower
building, is a unique museum depicting the history of Robben Island and the political
struggle to overthrow apartheid. Bookings for guided tours are essential, and can be made
at tel: +27 (0)21 419 1300.
Daily ferry trips to Robben Island depart from the jetty near the Robben Island Exhibition
and Information Centre in the Clock Tower Precinct and from the Robben Island Embarkation
Building on Jetty 1.. Guided tours and bus tours on the island include a visit to the
prison with viewing of the limestone quarry, Garrison Church (1841), lighthouse (1863),
Leper's Church (1895), guesthouse (1895) and a Kramat, or Muslim shrine. Seabirds, African
(jackass) penguins, ostriches and bontebok are some of the wildlife on the island. Tickets
may be purchased from the Robben Island Embarkation Building, tel: +27 (0)21 419 1300.
Seal Landing: It is unusual to get a close view of
seals, as offshore islands are their preferred breeding grounds. A colony of Cape fur
seals are however a familiar sight resting on the seal landing in the Clock Tower Precinct
next to the original Bertie's Landing Restaurant and on old tyres lining the quaysides
around the Waterfront. They are an integral part of harbour life and Capetonians are
fortunate enough to have these seals living in such close proximity.
Breakwater Prison: The original
Breakwater Prison was constructed in 1860 to house the convicts working on the breakwater.
A dramatic reminder of the punitive penal attitudes prevalent in the 1890's is the remains
of a treadmill visible alongside the former prison building, now housing the University of
Cape Town's Graduate School of Business and the Breakwater Lodge - a comfortable
non-graded hotel.
South African Maritime Museum:
The museum showcases the maritime history of Table Bay and houses the largest collection
of model ships in South Africa. Floating exhibits in the Victoria and Alfred Basins
include the SAS Somerset - a retired Naval Defence Boom Vessel and the Alwyn Vintcent - a
coal-fired steam tug. Both may be boarded for a nominal fee. Tel: +27 (0)21 419 2505.
Chavonnes Battery: Of particular
significance to the new Clock Tower Precinct development, is its historical base - the
Clock Tower, itself a national monument. Recently, preliminary excavation uncovered a
portion of the Chavonnes Battery, which is one of the oldest European structures in South
Africa, built in the early 1700's. Investigations conducted by the Archaeology Contracts
Office at the Department of Archaeology at the University of Cape Town have yielded a full
report on the history of the battery. Built in 1714-1725 by the Dutch East India Company,
the Chavonnes Battery was designed to further protect the Cape, together with Fort Knokke
and the Amsterdam Battery.
Eyewitness accounts described the Chavonnes Battery as being the most formidable of the
Table Bay fortifications. By mid-19th century, the Chavonnes Battery had been put to a
number of uses. Besides serving a military role, it was used as an isolation and
convalescent wing of the old Somerset Hospital. Crews and passengers of the old Somerset
Hospital. Crews and passengers of ships stricken with contagious illnesses such as
smallpox were confined to the battery until they were considered fit. The Battery was
decommissioned in 1861. As part of the new development, the Chavonnes Battery has been
retained and part of the ruins opened to the public for viewing - and acts as a real
feature of the Clock Tower Precinct. |
Link to the official
V&A Waterfront Web Site: http://www.waterfront.co.za |
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