CULTURAL INTEREST

Constructed between, 1666 - 1679, the Castle is the oldest structure in South Africa, which today serves as command center for the Western Province Army Command. The castle houses the William Fehr Collection of Africana, which provides a glimpse of life at the Cape during the 17th and 18th centuries and the Castle History Museum.

The "castle" built as a defensive fort, construction of which began barely 2 days after the arrival of the first Dutch settlers in April 1652. Although today the Castle is far away from the sea, it was originally built on the beach, Strand Street, which passes the structure is translated as "Beach Street". The area where the cape Town station now stands was originally under the ocean and has been built on land reclaimed over the years so that today the ocean is a couple of kilometres distant.

Entrance and Bell Tower
The main entrance to the Castle bears several reminders of the nearly one and a half centuries of VOC presence at the Cape. This entrance is a unique example of 17th century Dutch classicism. The bell, cast in 1697 by Claude Fremy in Amsterdam, still hangs in the tower from its original wooden beams.

Castle Military Museum
This museum depicts the military history of the Cape, the Castle and Cape Regiments.

The Cape Malay have perfected the art of cooking with spices: turmeric, aniseed, fenugreek and cumin; garlic, cardamom, cassia, and ginger, saffron - spices brought to South Africa by early explorers on their way through the Spice Route.

Your adventure begins at the Bo-Kaap Museum, where an intimate group of no more than ten people will meet to enjoy the photo exhibition, and get a feel for the history and tradition of the area. Your guide will lead you on a leisurely stroll through some of the more historic streets, giving you a chance to appreciate the extraordinary collection of pre-1840 architecture that resulted in this area being declared a national monument.

Then its time to follow our noses towards the scents of ginger, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, and chilli which drift tantalisingly from the storefronts and cafés, as we shop for ingredients to make a typical Cape Malay dish.

It’s “hands-on” during the informal cooking workshop which follows in a Bo-Kaap family home. We learn how to mix Masala, fold Samoosas, and how to balance the delicate flavours of a Cape Malay curry.
Over a mug of faloodah (a traditional, lightly rose-scented milk drink) our hostess and cooking instructor will tell you more about the ways in which food, history and religion are interwoven in the Bo-Kaap culture.

Cape Town is the oldest city in South Africa and — many consider it to be the most culturally aware. Cape Town's rich colonial history has gifted the city with some distinctive old buildings in the unique Cape Dutch style with its whitewashed walls, elaborate gables and thatched roofs.

Some of the best examples of these are to be found on the many wineries, the most easily accessible of which is Groot Constantia in Cape Town's southern suburbs. A leisure stroll along the 'Historical Mile' between Muizenberg and Kalk Bay will take you past Posthuys, the oldest building in South Africa.

Adderley Street can be called Cape Town's main street. It reaches from the Heerengracht up to the entrance of the park Company's Garden. In 1850, it was named in honor of the British parlamentarian Charles B. Adderley, who passionately and effectively fought against the plan of the British government to make Cape Town another convict colony. The street is lined on each side by big old office buildings, many belonging to the South African insurance, financing and banking groups.

A host of museums on a huge range of the usual subjects like natural history, cultural history and just plain ordinary history complement the smaller ones like the District Six museum, a doll museum and a police museum. And, of course, a visit to the Robben Island museum in the V&A Waterfront, followed by a ferry trip and a tour of the island itself is a must.

The Cape Town Book Fair is supported by representatives from 25 countries, including trade delegations from Germany, France, Russia, China, India, the United Kingdom, Holland, Mauritius and Switzerland. There are 354 exhibitors (including collectives and co-exhibitors) on the convention floor, with a 71-26 % split between South African and international exhibitors, and 4% from the rest of Africa.

“We open our arms and welcome all visitors to the Cape Town Book Fair over a three day weekend celebration. On the Saturday, Sunday and Monday mornings of the festival we will feature Writers at Play sessions, which with the help of some of our fabulous writers, will be encouraging children to write, illustrate and publish their own books. These workshops will sit beside events with some of the most exciting children's authors our country has to offer.

Traditionally, as Africans, we have always referred to our riches as our children. This is indeed true. However, we have an incredible as yet unmeasured wealth in our literature, our stories. The Cape Town Book Fair is the platform that unites readers, writers and ideas in meaningful exchanges of ideas that build a new South Africa.” Vanessa Badroodien Fair Director

Irma Stern (1894-1966), a major South African artist who achieved national and international recognition in her lifetime.

The permanent collection on display shows Irma Stern's development as an artist whose subject matter included exotic figures, portraits, lush landscapes and still life's conveyed in a variety of media, ranging from oils and water colours to gouache and charcoal.

The Irma Stern Museum was established in 1971 and is the house the artist lived in for almost four decades. Several of the rooms are furnished as she arranged them while upstairs there is a commercial gallery used by contemporary South African artists.

A lively temporary exhibition program is arranged annually and visitors can enjoy the garden. Examples of Irma's ceramics can be viewed in the studio. Created between 1949-1954, they include large earthenware jars and jugs as well as vases decorated with female figures and unglazed plates embellished with faces

Irma described the process of art production as follows: "I work a long time at a picture in my head... I never touch the canvas after it is finished."

The Baxter Theatre Centre provides an exciting forum for the celebration of life which is the essence of live theatre, music and dance. It is one of the major live theatre venues in Cape Town and has always been at the forefront of the performing arts both as a popular venue and as a leading producer. Follow the link to see a list of the many awards that productions at the Baxter have received over the years.

The Baxter Theatre Centre at the University of Cape Town endeavours to present and host the best of South African performing arts. The objective is to reflect the cultures of all the people of South Africa on our stages and in our foyers and galleries. We envisage a vibrant cultural centre developing an interactive relationship with our local and university communities. We strive to present cutting-edge and major works from South Africa and masterpieces from the international repertoire.

The Baxter Theatre Centre opened on 1 August 1977. It came into being as the result of a bequest from the late Dr W. Duncan Baxter who, in his will, bequeathed an amount of money to the University of Cape Town for the purpose of establishing a theatre which would, in the words of Dr Baxter, "develop and cultivate the arts in Cape Town and the adjacent districts".

Since its opening in 1977 the complex has continued to provide a stage for all types of professional entertainment - music, drama, ballet, opera and intimate theatre. Even through the difficult years of racial segregation its doors remained open to everyone and it thrived, drawing on indigenous talent and creating a uniquely South African theatre tradition.