Interesting Facts About the Cape of Good Hope | USA Today Interesting Facts About the Cape of Good Hope The Cape of Good Hope was an important landmark for sailors. (Photo: Tom Brakefield/Stockbyte/Getty Images ) Climate in the Cape of Good Hope The Cape of Good Hope is a peninsula just outside the city of Cape Town in South Africa. The Cape of Good Hope itself is a rocky promontory at the tip of the Cape peninsula and in the past marked the point where a ship traveling south from Europe turned east. Today, most of the Cape peninsula, including the Cape of Good Hope, is part of Table Mountain National Park. Name Origins The Cape of Good Hope's name dates from the days of exploration in the 15th century, when the European powers such as Spain and Portugal sent explorers into uncharted places in search of wealth. The first European to see the Cape was Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias, who was searching for the southern limits of the African continent. According to some historical accounts, Dias named the place the "Cape of Storms," but later changed it to "Cape of Good Hope" at the suggestion of King John II of Portugal. Other accounts suggest Dias came up with the name himself.

History The Cape plays an important role in South African history as a stopping point for trading ships sailing between Europe and European colonies in the east. Initially the Europeans bartered with the local Khoikhoi people for food and water but in 1652 the Dutch East India Company established a small provision station in the sheltered bay behind the Cape peninsula, forming the first European settlement in the region. Today the small station that provided refreshments to weary sailors has grown into the bustling city of Cape Town. Nature The Cape peninsula is one of eight protected areas in the region, jointly designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO for the richness of its plant life. Although the 553,000 hectares of the Cape Floral Region make up only 0.5 percent of the area of Africa, nearly 20 percent of the continent's plants are represented. Fynbos, meaning "fine bush" are the most common category of plant found here and many of the species are unique to the Cape peninsula. In Table Mountain National Park, you might see park rangers working to remove invading species like the rooikrans, wattle, pine and blue gum that threaten the survival of native plants.

Wildlife The Cape peninsula is also rich in wildlife, particularly birds. The shore of the peninsula is home to the cape gannet, the African black oystercatcher and four species of cormorant, but the most famous feathered residents are the colony of jackass penguins at Boulders Beach. Visit the 3,000-strong colony in False Bay to see the birds up close in one of only a small number of mainland colonies. Wheelchair friendly walkways guide you through their environment and if you visit between February and August when the penguins are breeding you might see some fluffy baby birds. References Cape of Good Hope, South Africa. The Most South-Western Point of The African Continent | 360° Aerial Panoramas, 360° Virtual Tours Around the World, Photos of the Most Interesting Places on the Earth Photogallery Total Views: 1 152 135 The discovery of Cape of Good Hope — a geographic location with one of the most romantic names in the world — is due to Portuguese navigator Bartolomeu Dias. At the end of the 15th century Portugal was literally obsessed with discovering the seaway to India sending one expedition after another.

In 1487 this task was entrusted to Dias. His voyage, as well as his predecessors', was filled with adventures, shooting incidents with local tribes, and threats of mutiny from his crew. Dias ended up sailing only around Africa thinking that if one continues to sail forward, he would arrive to India sooner or later. After coming to this logical conclusion he turned around, and on his way home in May of 1488 he landed at what he thought was the southernmost point of Africa. The debarkation was not easy — the storm almost wrecked their ship on the cliffs. As a result, Dias named this place "Cape of Storms" and returned to Portugal with peace of mind. But the King Juan the Second thought that the name was too shortsighted: who would want to discover India through such obstacles? So he changed the name to the Cape of Good Hope envisioning that the sea route to India would be well travelled one day. The expedition, led by famous Vasco da Gama, became a success. By the way, he owes his fame to this voyage as it made him the first European who sailed to India.

On July 8th, year 1497 the expedition made a grand exit out of the Port of Lisbon and by November of the same year sailed around the Cape of Storms, or to be precise, the Cape of Good Hope. Needless to say that the storms continuing for days and days made it very difficult and caused a damage beyond repair to one of the vessels... However, the heroic deeds of the explorers were not in vain, as now humanity possesses not only the sea route from Europe to India but also an outstanding tourist "attraction". Who wouldn't want to boast about standing on the most southern point of the African continent gazing at the vastness of the ocean and knowing that the only closest land is Antarctica? Centuries later, with the development of cartography, it became clear that "the southernmost point in the continent of Africa" was not the Cape of Good Hope but the Cape Agulhas located 155 km southeast. However, by that time, tourists already made their way to the "imposter" discovered by Bartolomeu Dias so the government decided to simply change the plate to read "The Most South-Western Point of The African Continent" :) Even this change didn't go without a trick!

After arriving to Cape of Good Hope by bus tourists first ride the cable cars, then take a long walk to a high, beautiful, long stretching outbound cape with a panoramic view of the mirror-like ocean, where they take classic photos in "Me and The Most South-Western Point of Africa" style. However this cape, named Cape Point, is not really the most southwestern one. The real most southwestern point of the African continent is actually situated several kilometers away — it's an unremarkable place by the water, with a small parking lot nearby and an official plate that reads "The Most South-Western Point of The African Continent" (see photo below). This location is hardly known and is visited by less than 10% of all tourists that come to the Cape of Good Hope :) Visitor of our website has pointed that the official sign says wrong latitude (23 degrees instead of 33). Photo above with wrong sign was taken in 2003. We found photo in the web of this sign of 2006, there you can see that wrong coordinates have already been fixed.

About Cape Point | Cape Point History of Cape Point Cape Point has a long and colourful history, largely due to the search for a sea route to the East, instigated by Prince Henry the Navigator. Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias was the first to round the Cape Peninsula in 1488. He named it the “Cape of Storms”, for the notoriously bad weather, which can blow up quickly. A decade later, Vasco da Gama navigated the same route and sailed down the coast of Africa, successfully opening a new trading route for Europe with India and the Far East. King John II of Portugal later renamed it the “Cape of Good Hope” because of the great optimism engendered by the opening of this new sea route to India and the East. ‘The Point’ has been treated with respect by sailors since it was first sighted by Dias in 1488. By day, it was a landmark of great navigational value until the introduction of radar. By night, and in fog, it was a menace. Ships had to approach closely to obtain bearings and thereby were exposed to the dangers of Bellows Rock and Albatross Rock. And so the lighthouse was built.

The original lighthouse was built in 1859 on Da Gama Peak, the summit of Cape Point, 238m above sea level. This made it very ineffective in mist which mandated the establishment of the second lighthouse at 87 meters. The newer lighthouse, built in 1914, is the most powerful on the South African coast. It emits three flashes in a group every 30 seconds and revolves. The old lighthouse still stands here and is now used as a centralized monitoring point for all the lighthouses in South Africa. Cape Point Concession Thebe Tourism Group manages the facilities at Cape Point in the Cape of Good Hope section of Table Mountain National Park and promotes it as one of South Africa’s key tourism attractions. Facilities include the Flying Dutchman Funicular, the Two Oceans Restaurant, Food Shop and three retail shops. The Thebe Tourism Group is a 100%-owned subsidiary of Thebe Investment Corporation . Formed in 2001, the group is the oldest black-empowered South African tourism group and has a significant portfolio in tourism and related industries, offering innovative, integrated market-driven products.

Thebe Tourism Group has subsidiaries in car rental; travel agency; tour operators; foreign exchange; retail; event and exhibition management; even one of South Africa’s iconic tourist attractions. Thebe aims to be a trusted, world-class, African company that develops and invests in sustainable businesses for the long-term benefit of communities. Passionate about sharing Africa with the world and influenced strongly by African heritage, Thebe Tourism Group aspires to be a world-class pan-African group of companies, providing five-star treatment for every budget. Intro (English) to the Resolutions of Cape of Good Hope / History of the Cape of Good Hope of the Council of Policy of Cape of Good Hope History of the Cape of Good Hope A Portuguese discovers the sea route from Europe to India In August 1486 the Portuguese navigator, Bartholomeu Dias, set sail from the Tagus River at Lisbon with his fleet of two small vessels and a cargo ship. The objective of his journey was to sail round the southern point of Africa in order find a seaway and a trade route to India . At Angra Pequena (now Lüderitzbucht , Namibia ) he erected a cross.

Then a tremendous storm forced his ships off course and he and his crew did not reach land until they entered the bay, which is known today as Mossel Bay . It was then that Dias realised that they had already passed the tip of Africa and had actually discovered the sea route to the East. The indigenous Khoi pastoralists fled when they saw the ships entering the bay. On the island of St. Croix near Algoa Bay he also erected a cross and probably kept on sailing until they reached the Fish River in the present Eastern Cape . There the small fleet had to turn back because of insufficient supplies on board. On his return voyage Dias, elated by the realisation of having discovered the sea route to India , changed the name Cabo Tormentoso ‘cape of storms’ to Cabo da boa Esperanza ‘cape of good hope’. Portugal continued the expansion of its Indian empire and Portuguese fleets to the East regularly passed the Cape . In 1498 Vasco da Gama named the above-mentioned bay where Dias landed Aguada de Sâo Bras ‘fountain-head of St. Blaize’.

On his voyage to India (1501-1502) Joâo de Nova and his fleet also visited the bay and in his turn he named it Golfo dos Vaqueiros ‘bay of herdsmen’. He also built a small chapel, the first Christian structure erected in South Africa . De Nova continued his journey and reached Rio de la Goa ‘river of the lake’, the place that was named in 1544 by Lourenço Marques after himself. In 1503 one of the three squadrons belonging to this fleet was under the command of Antonio de Saldanha who made a navigational error and eventually reached the bay now known as Table Bay . In March 1510 the Portuguese viceroy Francisco d’ Almeida who had just established Portuguese authority in the Indian Ocean, and a number of his high-ranking officers were killed in Table Bay during a skirmish with a group of Khoi. The inhospitable coastline of Southern Africa was the most important reason why the Portuguese rulers were not interested in occupying this country. The Cape of Good Hope (South Africa) - YouTube The Cape of Good Hope (South Africa) Want to watch this again later?

Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Jan 25, 2013 (EN) The Cape of Good Hope (Afrikaans: die Kaap die Goeie Hoop, Dutch: Kaap de Goede Hoop, Dutch pronunciation: [kaːb də ˈɣudə ɦoːp], Portuguese: Cabo da Boa Esperança) is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa. There is a misconception that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa, because it was once believed to be the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In fact, the southernmost point is Cape Agulhas, about 150 kilometres (90 mi) to the east-southeast.

The currents of the two oceans meet at the point where the warm-water Agulhas current meets the cold water Benguela current and turns back on itself—a point that fluctuates between Cape Agulhas and Cape Point (about 1.2 kilometres east of the Cape of Good Hope). When following the western side of the African coastline from the equator, however, the Cape of Good Hope marks the point where a ship begins to travel more eastward than southward. Thus, the first modern rounding of the cape in 1488 by Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias was a milestone in the attempts by the Portuguese to establish direct trade relations with the Far East (although in his histories Herodotus proves, disbelievingly, that some Phoenicians had done so far earlier than this). Dias(or Diaz) called the cape Cabo das Tormentas. "Cape of Storms" was the original name of the "Cape of Good Hope".

As one of the great capes of the South Atlantic Ocean, the Cape of Good Hope has long been of special significance to sailors, many of whom refer to it simply as "the Cape." It is a waypoint on the clipper route followed by clipper ships to the Far East and Australia, and still followed by several offshore yacht races. (wikipedia) VALPARD How the Cape of Good Hope Got its Name « Taj – Cape Town How the Cape of Good Hope Got its Name Posted by: Taj Cape Town | Posted in History | on: March 30, 2010 It has been many a year since the Cape of Good Hope was referred to by this olden-day moniker. Nowadays, locals, foreigners and seafarers alike refer to it simply as the Cape – but the story of how the region got its name is an interesting one nonetheless. Top station of Table Mountain Aerial Cableway (image by Cape Town Media – the time it was discovered in 1488 by Bartolomeu Dias, the Cape was celebrated for its beauty and maritime importance.

However, when the Portuguese explorer first came upon the region it was its perilous seas, rather than its scenery or nautical significance, that made the greatest impression upon him. Thus, he named it The Cape of Storms – or Cabo das Tormentas – for the dangerous waters and inclement weather that had put paid to many an exploration. However, although treacherous, the Cape of Storms also presented much hope and relief to the sailors who later arrived on its shores. Not only did it mean that fresh water and supplies would soon be available, but it also provided a valuable channel to India and the East. Thus, it was later renamed Cape of Good Hope – Cabo da Boa Esperança. From then on, the term “Cape of Good Hope” was used to refer to the entire region, until it became the Cape Province in 1901. It’s also interesting to note that during the time of Jan van Riebeeck, Cape Town was known as The Tavern of the Seas, due to the fact that it provided vital supplies to sailors travelling around Africa.

Cape Point Cape Point experiences in our beautiful country By Province You are here: South Africa / Information / Tourist Attractions & Destinations / Western Cape Attractions / Cape Town Attractions / Atlantic Seaboard / Cape Point Western Cape Tourist AttractionsThe Cape Point Bartholomeu Dias, the Portuguese seafarer, was the first to sail around the Cape (in 1488). On his return voyage, which must have been particularly stormy, Dias stopped at the south-western tip of South Africa, and named it Cabo Tormentoso, or Cape of Storms. King John of Portugal later gave it the name Cabo da Boa Esperan�a, or Cape of Good Hope. Another Portuguese explorer, Vasco da Gama, rounded the Cape on 22 November 1497 on his way to India. Where? Cape Point, Cape Town, South Africa When? Open daily. Overnight? See Cape Point accommodation , in Cape Town The journeys of these explorers led to the establishment of the Cape sea route. This meant more regular sailings around the tip. It also indirectly to led to a number of casualties along these unpredictable shores.

Today, shipwrecks and stone crosses bear testimony to the treacherous and challenging historic sea route. Lighthouses: The lighthouse at Cape Point is the most powerful on the South African coast. It has a range of 63 kilometres, and beams out a group of three flashes of 10 million candlepower each, every 30 seconds. But, through history, mariners had taken a rather dimmer view of warning beacons around the Point. A lighthouse was built In 1857, on Cape Point Peak, 238 metres above sea level. The equipment for the lighthouse had been shipped from England. However, because of its high position, clouds and fog often obscured the lighthouse. In fact, for an alarming 900 hours per year on average, its light was invisible to ships at sea at a certain angle. After the Portuguese liner Lusitania ran aground on 18 April 1911, the lighthouse was moved to its present location above Cape Point, only 87 metres above sea-level. A stone replica of Vasco Da Gama's cross which was planted there in 1487 stands tall on the hillside above the beach.

It marks the spot where the Portuguese explorers had come ashore. Shipwrecks: On the night of 18 April 1911, the Lusitania, a ship of 5 500 tons, with 774 people aboard, struck the Bellows Rock below the lighthouse. TheThomas T Tucker was a American Liberty Ship, built in 1942 and was intended for carrying troops and supplies during World War II. Relying on a faulty compass, she hit a rock in thick fog near Olifantsbos just off the Point. The Phyllisia, 452 ton Cape Town trawler, struck the jagged rocks just 100 m off the rugged coast of the Cape Point Nature Reserve at about midnight on 3 May 1968. Eleven of her crew reached the shore in life rafts, but 14 still remained on the trawler. Two South African Airforce helicopters lifted them from the craft. The Nolloth, a 347 ton Dutch trawler, ran aground, surround by jagged rocks in rough seas after she was struck by an unidentified underwater object.

It is believed to be the Albatross Rock. Funicular: Zoom to the top of the Point Hop aboard the funicular and you�ll be whisked away on a scenic trip to the view site near the old Cape Point lighthouse. Over time, the means of transport to the view site changed from a diesel bus, named after the �Flying Dutchman� ghost ship, to an environmentally friendly funicular, the only one of its kind in the world. The entire funicular has been produced from South African resources. 27 different safety features ensure practical and safe operation 24 hours a day. There are two funicular cars which travel from the parking lot to the view site, just below the lighthouse. Global Atmosphere Watch Station: The South African Weather Bureau, together with the Fraunhofer Institute in Garmisch, Germany, maintains a research laboratory at Cape Point to monitor long-term changes in the chemistry of the earth�s atmosphere, which may impact upon climate. The laboratory, which was architecturally designed to blend into the western slopes of Cape Point, is one of the World Meteorological Organisation�s 20 Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) stations.

It monitors environmentally important air components, including trace gases like ozone, methane and carbon dioxide, as well as solar radiation and various meteorological parameters. The air at Cape Point is regarded as being particularly pure for most of the time, thereby providing insights into such phenomena as stratospheric ozone depletion and climate change. Two Oceans Restaurant: From Two Oceans Restaurant you�ll take in sweeping views of False Bay, way below. The restaurant, perched high above the crashing waves, has been designed to ensure that all guests can enjoy the incredible vistas. Buffelsfontein Visitors Centre: To really get to know Cape Point and its attractions up close and personal, a visit to the Buffelsfontein Visitor Centre is an essential stopover. Here you�ll be treated to a wealth of artefact displays, and audiovisual presentations that will keep you spellbound. Well researched and beautifully laid out information material will interpret all aspects of the area's natural and cultural wealth for you. Popular Attractions at Cape Point TMNP Marine Protected Area The seas around the Cape Peninsula all the way up the coast to Mouille Point on the Atlantic Seaboard, and up the False Bay coast as far as Muizenberg, fall within the Table Mountain National Park.

This 956 km� stretch of ocean is where the... More info and contact details: Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area Cape of Good Hope Part of the Table Mountain National Park that extends from Signal Hill in the north all the way to Cape Point in the south, the Cape of Good Hope is not the southern tip of Africa, despite lying at the south-west corner of the Cape Peninsula... More info and contact details: Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve Cape Point Wine Route It was only in 1998 that the new Cape Point Wine District was declared and the Cape Point Vineyards are still relatively new on the tourist itinerary. They were established in 1996 with the first vines on the Noordhoek wine estate... More info and contact details: Cape Point Wine Route Popular Things to Do at Cape Point Antoniesgat Trail This there-and-back hike follows the False Bay coastline from the turning circle of Buffels Bay beach in the Cape Point National Park reserve. Antoniesgat Trail is one of nine trails within the reserve. Buffels Bay, whilst a firm...

More info and contact details: Antoniesgat Trail Cape Point Lighthouse Walk Cape Point Lighthouse walk and on to Cape of Good Hope - This is one of the highlights of any visit to the Cape Point Nature Reserve. After entering the reserve head to the parking lot. There are paths to both the old and new lighthouses... More info and contact details: Cape Point Lighthouse Walk The Western Cape History of Cape Town History of Cape Town History of Cape Town: The Portuguese, Jan van Riebeeck, Simon van der Stel, and more important individuals who shaped South Africa. Introduction Early Trade Human communities had lived in the Cape Peninsula and Western Cape long before the beginning of the Christian era, surviving by hunting, fishing and gathering edible plants and roots. They were the ancestors of the Khoisan peoples of modern times - the Bushmen (San) and the Hottentot (Khoikhoi). The Bushmen were hunter-gatherers who lived in small, loosely knit groups of about 20 persons. They were highly mobile on account of their dependence on game, and for the same reason widely dispersed territorially.

The Hottentot, in comparison, were mainly herders along the Orange River, the boundary river between South Africa and Namibia, and the coastal belt stretching from Namibia around Cape Point to the Eastern Cape. Both groups were thought to have migrated southward, ahead of the Bantu-speaking peoples whose ancestral home lay well in the north. Before the Dutch came to the Cape, the Hottentot conducted trade with their Bantu-speaking neighbours in cattle and dagga (marijuana) and, to a lesser extent, iron and copper. After the arrival of men from Europe, they traded their cattle for tobacco and began to act as brokers in developing trade between the Europeans and the Xhosa tribes to the east. The European advance eventually cost the Hottentot their land, stock and trade. Twice defeated in battle in 1713 and 1755, and decimated by smallpox, they ultimately lost their identity as a distinct cultural group and intermarried with slaves and others to form the Cape Coloured people.

The Portuguese Bartholomeus Dias From the time of the first recorded discovery of the Cape, seafarers looked forward to the sight of majestic Table Mountain, this unmistakable beacon of promised hospitality along one of the busiest arteries of world commerce. However, the sudden knowledge that the Cape existed was not immediately followed by settlement. In 1487, the Portuguese sailor Bartholomeus Dias set out to find a sea route to the East. Sailing along the west coast of Africa, his ships encountered a ferocious storm, which drove them out to sea and away from the coast. Once the storm had passed they resumed their journey in an easterly direction, expecting to reach the coast, their guideline, again soon. After a number of days' sailing without any sign of land, they changed direction and headed north, eventually landing at the mouth of the Gouritz River on the east coast of Africa on 3 February 1488. Dias and his crew were the first Europeans on record to round the Cape, albeit unwittingly. Vasco Da Gama It is widely believed that it was Dias who named the peninsula Cabo Tormentosa (Cape of Storms).

This name was later changed to Cabo da Boa Esperanca (Cape of Good Hope) to signify that the rounding of the Cape brought hope that a sea route to the East was possible. Fully ten years later, Vasco Da Gama completed the sea route from Portugal around the Cape to India, thus finally opening up the trade route between Europe and the East. Antonio de Saldanha was the first European to land in Table Bay. He climbed the mighty mountain in 1503 and named it 'Table Mountain'. The great cross that the Portuguese navigator carved in the rock of Lion's Head is still traceable. In 1580, Sir Francis Drake sailed around the Cape in The Golden Hind and the ruggedness and breathtaking beauty of the peninsula inspired him to write - "This Cape is a most stately thing, and the fairest Cape in the whole circumference of the earth". One hundred and sixty years after it was first discovered, the Peninsula was still a part of primeval Africa, almost unaffected by the tide of commerce that ebbed and flowed around its southern shores. Outward bound from Europe, the early navigators were too eager to reach the East.

Homeward bound, they were too impatient to reap the profits in the European ports. Passing ships would leave postal matter under inscribed stones for other ships to find and carry forward. These so-called post office stones are still found in excavations and there is an interesting collection of them in the South African Museum in the Company's Gardens in Cape Town. Jan van Riebeeck Jan van Riebeeck In 1652 the Dutch East India Company, yielding to repeated petitions and recommendations from their ships' officers, at last decided to establish a post at Table Bay. They sent three small ships, the Dromedaris, the Reijger and the Goede Hoop under the command of 23-year-old Jan Antony van Riebeeck to establish a stronghold on the shores of Table Bay. Their objective was to grow vegetables and fruit, barter for livestock with the Hottentot tribes and build a hospital and a sanctuary for the repair of ships. Jan van Riebeeck's first fort, subsequently replaced by the existing Castle of Good Hope, was Cape Town's first building. The seventeenth century was the Golden Age of the Dutch Republic.

Its merchants were the most successful businessmen in Europe; the Dutch East India Company was the world's greatest trading corporation and had sovereign rights in the East and the Cape of Good Hope, and by mid-century was the dominant European maritime power in southeast Asia. Its fleet, numbering some six thousand ships was manned by perhaps 48 000 sailors. The Cape became an outstation of the Dutch East India Company's eastern empire, based in Batavia in Java, and fell directly under the Governor-General of the Indies. From 1672 the Cape had a Governor of its own, but remained under eastern control until the end of the Company period in 1795. From Table Bay the Cape Peninsula extends southward, a long narrow mass of highlands varying in width from three to seven miles, until it tapers to the high narrow promontory of Cape Point, nearly 48 kilometres away. Only in the neighbourhood of Table Bay and along the eastern flank of the mountains as far as False Bay were there large areas of relatively level lowland favourable to early settlement. The Cape Flats, which links the Peninsula to the mainland of Africa, was then covered by sand dunes and dune vegetation.

Hollows between the dunes were flooded every winter by the rains. Some of the larger ones, such as Princess Vlei, persisted as lakes throughout the year. These were the haunt of the hippopotamus, as the name Zeekoevlei still reminds us. Wagon Road The wagon road used by the woodcutters to the tree-covered mountain slopes of Newlands and Kirstenbosch was the first road to be opened by the European settlers. The patches of forest in Orange Kloof were preserved a little longer by their inaccessibility, but the woodcutters were soon at work in the moist valley bottom below. From the nearby anchorage near Orange Kloof, which was named Hout Bay (Wood Bay), the wood was shipped around the Mountain to Table Bay. The forests of the peninsula, never extensive, lasted barely a generation. Though trees now cover large areas of the mountain slopes once again, they are mostly exotic species. Trial crops of wheat, oats and barley succeeded admirably on the deep, loamy soils of the Liesbeek River valley, and this led to the Company's grain-farming enterprise being transferred there in 1657.

A large granary, De Schuur, was built near a round grove of thorn trees known at first as Rondedoornbosjen (modern Rondebosch). The residence Groote Schuur, reconstructed in 1896 on this site, is a beautiful example of old Cape architecture. It was formerly the residence of Prime Minister Cecil John Rhodes and was bequeathed by him as the official residence of the Prime Minister of South Africa. To supplement the Company's crops, a number of its servants were given their discharge and settled as independent farmers along the valley in the area now known as Rondebosch and Rosebank. Van Riebeeck himself acquired an estate further upstream, a wooded hillside known as Bosheuvel (now the Bishopscourt Estate) where, in 1658, he established the first extensive wynberg or vineyard in South Africa. Van Riebeeck handed over the government of the Colony in 1662 to Zacharias Wagenaar and returned home to his native land. During Wagenaar's term of office a site was chosen for a stronger fortress. In 1666, the foundation stones of the Castle of Good Hope were laid.

Its plan was pentagonal and the Company garrisoned its soldiers there from 1674 onwards. In about 1667 the Company established a new cattle-post on the other side of Table Mountain, in the Hout Bay valley. Simon van der Stel Simon van der Stel, who arrived as Governor in 1679, was destined to exercise marked influence on the Colony for the next 20 years. He enlarged and beautified van Riebeeck's garden and built a slave lodge (today the Cultural History Museum) at the entrance. It was during Simon van der Stel's governorship that the Huguenots, who had been driven from France by the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, arrived from Holland. There were some 200 of them, so small a number that they were quickly absorbed in the Dutch population. The lands given to Simon van der Stel by the Dutch East India Company, stretched from Muizenberg to the Steenberg Mountains, right across to Wynberg.

He turned this vast region into rich farmland, planted some eight thousand trees and designed and built the stateliest of the Cape's historic mansions, Groot Constantia (named after his wife, Constance) in 1685, where he lived until his death in 1712. Groot Constantia remains one of the most favoured destinations for visiting tourists to the Cape. The Estate gave its name to the Constantia area, and its wines won the praise of even such connoisseurs as Kings of France. Simon van der Stel is also the founder of Stellenbosch, Drakenstein and Franschhoek, and is responsible for the construction of many of the famous homesteads in the Cape. More farmers soon settled in the Constantia area, along the little streams pretentiously named the Spaanschemat and Diep Rivers and on the soils so well suited to the vine. West of the mountains, Kronendal in the Hout Bay valley was granted to another enterprising settler in 1681 and a wagon road into the valley was opened over Constantia Nek twelve years later.

Simon van der Stel's eldest son, Willem Adriaan van der Stel, who succeeded him as Governor, added a museum to the gardens, and erected a lodge (now Government House) for the reception of visitors. He built Nieuweland (on a site now occupied by Newlands House) where he started a new garden. Later it replaced Rustenburg as the country residence of successive Governors and its pleasure gardens became almost legendary in the writings of eighteenth century visitors to the Cape. Willem Adriaan van der Stel also developed the Vergelegen Estate, where he built a house and planted over 500 000 vines, large orchards and corn lands. He stocked the farm with 800 cattle and 10 000 sheep. The fact that the Governor traded his products with ships in the port brought him into conflict with other farmers and eventually led to his recall to Holland and confiscation of his estate. The Dutch East India Company, which had reached the high point of its power during the governorships of the van der Stels, began to decline, chiefly because of English and French competition in the eastern markets.

In 1737 eight ships were wrecked in a single storm in Table Bay, with a loss of over 200 lives. In 1773, the Dutch East Indiaman The Jonge Thomas drifted into the breakers during a violent gale. Although 200 men were aboard, no effort was made by the Company's officials to rescue them. Enraged by this callousness, an old man, Wolraad Woltemade, borrowed a horse and rode into the pounding surf towards the doomed vessel. Eight times he made the journey and saved 14 men. He drowned during his last attempt. Ultimately the Company was driven to establish another winter port at Simon's Bay (modern Simon's Town). Named after Simon van der Stel, who surveyed the bay in 1657, ships were safe here under the lee of the Peninsula highlands. Nowadays in the 21st century, Cape Town has evolved quite a bit and is fully embracing technology. All the latest gadgets can be found throughout the city including RFID at supermarkets giving you the ultimate shopping experience displaying important information about products and promoting the latest specials.

Cape of Good Hope | promontory, South Africa | Britannica.com Cape of Good Hope Alternative Title: Cape of Storms Similar Topics Cape Horn Cape of Good Hope, rocky promontory at the southern end of Cape Peninsula, Western Cape province, South Africa . It was first sighted by the Portuguese navigator Bartolomeu Dias in 1488 on his return voyage to Portugal after ascertaining the southern limits of the African continent. One historical account says that Dias named it Cape of Storms and that John II of Portugal renamed it Cape of Good Hope (because its discovery was a good omen that India could be reached by sea from Europe); other sources attribute its present name to Dias himself. Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, Western Cape province, South Africa. © PhotoSky 4t com/Shutterstock.com Explore the popular attractions of Cape Town, South Africa, and the surrounding area, including the … Contunico © ZDF Enterprises GmbH, Mainz Known for the stormy weather and rough seas encountered there, the cape is situated at the convergence of the warm Mozambique-Agulhas current from the Indian Ocean and the cool Benguela current from Antarctic waters.

Grass and low shrub vegetation is characteristic of the promontory, which is part of the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve (established 1939) that encompasses the southern tip of the peninsula. There is a lighthouse on Cape Point about 1.2 miles (2 km) east of the Cape of Good Hope. Learn More in these related articles: Bartolomeu Dias c. 1450 May 29, 1500 at sea, near Cape of Good Hope Portuguese navigator and explorer who led the first European expedition to round the Cape of Good Hope (1488), opening the sea route to Asia via the Atlantic and Indian oceans. He is usually considered to be the greatest of the Portuguese pioneers... in European exploration: The sea route east by south to Cathay ...navigate by their coasts and the seas of Guinea.” In the same year, another Portuguese navigator, Bartolomeu Dias, found encouraging evidence that this was so. In 1487 he rounded the Cape of Storms in such bad weather that he did not see it, but he satisfied himself that the coast was now trending northeastward; before turning back, he reached the Great Fish River, in what is now...

More about Cape of Good Hope 1 Reference found in Britannica Articles Assorted Reference Cape of Good Hope - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11) The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky point on the southern tip of the Cape Peninsula. The Cape Peninsula sticks out from southwestern Africa into the Atlantic Ocean. The Cape of Good Hope gave its name to a European colony that once covered nearly all of southern Africa. The Cape Colony lasted until 1910, when it became a part of South Africa. Cape of Good Hope - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up) The southernmost tip of South Africa’s Cape Peninsula is called the Cape of Good Hope. It is known for the stormy weather and rough seas encountered there. One of the southernmost points in Africa, it is among the most famous capes in maritime history. Its discovery by Europeans in the 15th century opened the first all-water route from Europe to Asia. Article History Corrections? Updates? Help us improve this article! Contact our editors with your feedback. MEDIA FOR: You have successfully emailed this. Error when sending the email. Try again later. Edit Mode Submit Tips For Editing We welcome suggested improvements to any of our articles.

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Close Article Title: Cape of Good Hope Website Name: Encyclopædia Britannica Date Published: February 07, 2015 URL: Access Date: January 19, 2017 Share

Question: The Cape of Storms was the original name of which cape?
Answer: Cape of Good Hope