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capetown.gov.za. Cape Town [a] is the legislative capital of South Africa. It is the country's oldest city and the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. [12] It is the country's second-largest city, after Johannesburg, and the largest in the Western Cape. [13]
- Western Cape
The Western Cape (Afrikaans: Wes-Kaap [ˈvɛskɑːp]; Xhosa:...
- Geordin Hill-Lewis
Geordin Gwyn Hill-Lewis (born 31 December 1986) is a South...
- Signal Hill
There is a road to the summit and that vantage point...
- History of Cape Town
The 1700s. The 1800 and 1900s. The apartheid years. Recent...
- Devil's Peak
Devil's Peak is part of the mountainous backdrop to Cape...
- Victoria & Alfred Waterfront
The V&A Waterfront is a mixed-use destination located in the...
- City of Cape Town
The City of Cape Town (Afrikaans: Stad Kaapstad; Xhosa:...
- Cape Town (Disambiguation)
Cape Town is the legislative capital of South Africa.. Cape...
- City Bowl
The Cape Town city bowl as seen from Table Mountain. Robben...
- Western Cape
- Overview
- The character of the city
Cape Town, city and seaport, legislative capital of South Africa and capital of Western Cape province. The city lies at the northern end of the Cape Peninsula some 30 miles (50 kilometres), at its southernmost boundary, north of the Cape of Good Hope. Because it was the site of the first European settlement in South Africa, Cape Town is known as the country’s “mother city.”
Cape Town has a beautiful setting: parts of the city and its suburbs wind about the steep slopes of Table Mountain (3,563 feet [1,086 metres] high) and neighbouring peaks and rim the shores of Table Bay; other parts lie on the flats below the slopes or stretch southward across the flats to False Bay. The city covers an area of 116 square miles (300 square kilometres). Pop. (2005 est.) urban agglom., 3,103,000.
The city of Cape Town had its origin in 1652, when the Dutch East India Company established a refreshment station for its ships on the shores of Table Bay. The location was magnificent, on well-watered, fertile soil, beneath the precipitous walls of Table Mountain. The indigenous inhabitants provided cattle but not labour, and the company imported slaves, mainly from East Africa, Madagascar, and the Bay of Bengal area. The slaves brought with them something of their culture and—especially in the case of the Muslims from the East Indies—their religion. Mixed-race unions took place, but strong racial and ethnic characteristics remained. In 1781 the French established a garrison to help the Dutch defend the city against British attack, and the French presence influenced local architecture and culture. British occupation in the 19th century brought new parliamentary and judicial concepts and freedom for the slaves. Cape Town was the gateway to Europe’s penetration of the South African interior, and close ties with continental Europe were maintained.
Today Cape Town is a modern city with high-rise office buildings and pedestrian malls. Although it is a major political and economic centre, its reputation still rests on its beautiful situation between mountain and sea, its cosmopolitan population, and the liberal outlook of many of its citizens.
Britannica Quiz
World Cities
- Eric Axelson
Cape Town ( Afrikaans: Kaapstad, Xhosa: iKapa) is the second most populous city in South Africa. The capital of Western Cape Province, it is also the legislative capital of the nation. Cape Town is on South Africa's southwestern coast close to the Cape of Good Hope, and is the southernmost city on the African continent.
Cape Town is the second biggest city of South Africa. It is also home to the South African Parliament where the country's representatives assemble. It is at the Cape of Good Hope on the south-west coast. It has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate . The city's dominant natural feature is Table Mountain, a mountain with a flat top.
Cape Town is one of South Africa’s most Historically important Cities. It was here, in the "Mother City", where the first European Colonists set foot in South Africa —which also marked the beginning of the South African slave trade. It was Home to perhaps the World’s most famous political prisoner— Nelson Mandela —who was held on the ...
