Historical Buildings in and near Port Elizabeth

Historical Buildings in Port Elizabeth

Port Elizabeth has many historical attractions, one of the most interesting being the Historic Donkin Heritage trail, which leads visitors in the footsteps of the 1820 Settlers on their journey of discovery and settlement. ... more

With over 400 years of modern history, it is no wonder that South Africa has many historical buildings for visitors interested in history to view and explore.

The Cape Winelands are famous for Cape Dutch architecture, a method of house building originated by Dutch farmers that settled the area in the 1700s. The unique style of gabling, often paired with traditional thatch roofing are a distinctly South African design and houses from this era are protected so that their façades cannot be changed.

The best place to view this unique architecture is Tulbagh in the Winelands of the Western Cape. The main thoroughfare, Church Street, boasts 32 national monuments, the highest number of monuments on a single street in South Africa. An earthquake devastated the area in 1969, but painstaking restoration has returned this charming town back to it's original state. It is a wonderful place to spend the afternoon sipping coffee in a 300 year old restored home, or just moving back in time with a stroll down the street.

As the oldest city in South Africa, Cape Town boasts many interesting and historical buildings, most of which are still in use today. Most notable is The Castle of Good Hope, erected between 1666 and 1679 by the Dutch East India Company. It is the oldest building in South Africa and still houses the Western Cape headquarters of the South African Military. Tours are available and it is also home to the South African Military Museum.

Just off the coast lies a more modern but equally important building – the prison on Robben Island where Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners were held during apartheid. Ferries run several times daily from the V&A Waterfront.

Downtown Cape town is home to dozens of beautiful old buildings, and walking tours are available. Walking tours are available to explore historical sites in Johannesburg including old mine shafts and buildings crucial to the struggles against apartheid.

Other sites with historical buildings of note include Pretoria, Bloemfontein, Colesberg, Durban, Eshowe, Potchefstroom and Stellenbosch.