Capetown-The Victoria&Alfred Waterfront
The Victoria Alfred Waterfront is a main tourist attraction of Capetown and it deserves that status absolutely because nowhere else in South Africa such a lot of entertainment is offered right next to a busy harbour where the visitor can watch the ships, entering and leaving the port, while shopping or going to the theatre while the Table Mountain towers over the activities.
But don’t spend all your time with shopping, visiting the restaurants or pubs, or browsing through the arts and craft markets. The V&A Waterfront has much more to offer if you are interested in learning a bit more about the history of Capetown or even South Africa.
The Clock Tower which was the icon of the old docks and in a way a landmark of the Waterfront with the remains of the Chavonnes Battery which was an Capetown fortress dating back to the early 1700’s. Directly adjacent to the tower the visitors can watch the seals which are part of the harbour life.
Time Ball Tower that has been restored in 1997 which had the original purpose to give the ships a time signal by the dropping of a ball, by which they could check their chronometers while being in the harbour.
Breakwater Prison which housed prisoners working on the breakwater with a treadmill still bearing evidence of the harsh punishment of those days.
South African Maritime Museum with its floating exhibits which gives the visitor a tour through Capetown’s maritime history.
And last but not least the Robben Island Embarkation Building from which the prisoners were sent to Robben Island, the most famous of these being South Africa’s first democratically elected President, Nelson Mandela.
