The Castle of Good Hope

At A Glance

The Castle at a Glance

The headline numbers, dates and dimensions that define South Africa’s oldest surviving colonial building - followed by a labelled map showing the thirty-six features inside its star-shaped walls.

Built By Dutch East India Company (VOC) — Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie, the “United East Indian Company”
Construction 1666 – 1679 Thirteen years to build
Design Pentagonal Bastion Fort Five-pointed star, trace italienne style
Walls 10m Up to ten metres high · three metres thick at the base
Foundations 3.5m Three and a half metres deep · five metres wide
Status National Heritage Site Declared in 1936
Location Darling & Buitenkant Streets Cape Town, South Africa
Flags Flown 6 Six powers, over more than 350 years
Sieges Attempted 0 Never taken by direct assault
Labelled aerial map of the Castle of Good Hope showing thirty-six numbered features inside its star-shaped walls
The Castle from above - all thirty-six features inside its walls

Inside the Walls

  1. 01 Main Entrance & Bell Tower
  2. 02 Ravelin
  3. 03 Moat
  4. 04 Arsenal
  5. 05 Outer Entrance with Lion Posts
  6. 06 English 18-Pounder
  7. 07 Leerdam Bastion
  8. 08 Restitution Garden
  9. 09 Vertical Sundial
  10. 10 Captain’s Tower
  11. 11 Oranje Bastion
  12. 12 Krotoa Memorial
  13. 13 Lady Anne Barnard Banquet Hall
  14. 14 Het Bakhuys & Dolphin Pool
  15. 15 Governor’s Quarters & Council Chambers
  16. 16 Kat Balcony & “Kings of the Castle”
  17. 17 Inner Archway
  18. 18 Front Courtyard
  19. 19 Slaves Quarters
  20. 20 Back Courtyard (Wapenplaats - Weapon Yard)
  21. 21 Torture Chamber & Dark Hole
  22. 22 Nassau Bastion
  23. 23 Centre for Memory, Healing and Learning
  24. 24 Secunde’s Hall (Fired Ceramic Exhibition)
  25. 25 Ammunition Room in Dungeon
  26. 26 Jail
  27. 27 Hotchkiss Signalling Guns’ Mounts
  28. 28 Katzenellenbogen Bastion
  29. 29 King Cetshwayo Detention Area
  30. 30 Military Museum
  31. 31 Waterpoort (Original Main Entrance)
  32. 32 Buuren Bastion
  33. 33 Garden
  34. 34 Cape Khoi Kraal Exhibition
  35. 35 Restaurant
  36. 36 Sally Port Entrance (Sea Facing)