Slave Lodge, Cape Town
The Slave Lodge is located on the corner of Wale and Adderley Streets and is an interesting museum to visit as it pays tribute to the thousands of slaves brought to Cape Town between the 17th and 19th centuries.
The lodge was built in 1679 and it was here that the Dutch East India Company housed up to a thousand slaves in unsanitary, cramped conditions. The original lodge had no windows and was built of unadorned brick, but today it is a smart, white-washed building that tells the story of the African and Asian slaves who lived and worked in the city.
Through interactive displays, you will learn about slave family roots, their way of life and how some of them settled in the city after winning their freedom.
The museum has a small but excellent collection of Egyptian artifacts that date back to 3050BC, including silver items, textiles, toys, and tools. You can admire a superb collection of Greek vases and ceramics, pottery and cuneiform tablets from the Roman occupation of the Near East.
Between 1811 and 1911 the lodge changed hands several times: it was a post office, a public library, a small prison, and the Supreme Court. In the courtyard, you will see the tombstones (but not the graves) of Cape Town’s founder, Jan Van Riebeeck and his wife Maria.
The lodge was built in 1679 and it was here that the Dutch East India Company housed up to a thousand slaves in unsanitary, cramped conditions. The original lodge had no windows and was built of unadorned brick, but today it is a smart, white-washed building that tells the story of the African and Asian slaves who lived and worked in the city.
Through interactive displays, you will learn about slave family roots, their way of life and how some of them settled in the city after winning their freedom.
The museum has a small but excellent collection of Egyptian artifacts that date back to 3050BC, including silver items, textiles, toys, and tools. You can admire a superb collection of Greek vases and ceramics, pottery and cuneiform tablets from the Roman occupation of the Near East.
Between 1811 and 1911 the lodge changed hands several times: it was a post office, a public library, a small prison, and the Supreme Court. In the courtyard, you will see the tombstones (but not the graves) of Cape Town’s founder, Jan Van Riebeeck and his wife Maria.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Cape Town. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
Slave Lodge on Map
Sight Name: Slave Lodge
Sight Location: Cape Town, South Africa (See walking tours in Cape Town)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Cape Town, South Africa (See walking tours in Cape Town)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Cape Town, South Africa
Create Your Own Walk in Cape Town
Creating your own self-guided walk in Cape Town is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Cape Town Shopping Tour
Cape Town is grand with quality shopping. The available options here, such as South Africa's top flea market where you can find a wealth of merchandise, from tribal costumes to precious jewelry, offer a colorful experience for both locals and tourists.
Among the standout locations in Cape Town that shoppers particularly love to explore is Adderley Street. This bustling thoroughfare is... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 0.4 Km or 0.2 Miles
Among the standout locations in Cape Town that shoppers particularly love to explore is Adderley Street. This bustling thoroughfare is... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 0.4 Km or 0.2 Miles
Cape Town Introduction Walking Tour
Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias first mentioned the Cape of Storms in 1488, but it was soon renamed the Cape of Good Hope with an optimistic eye towards the trade routes it offered between Europe and the East.
In 1652, the Dutch East India Company settled a way-station here for ships traveling that route. Cape Town's natural harbor and strategic position made it the perfect location.... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.3 Km or 1.4 Miles
In 1652, the Dutch East India Company settled a way-station here for ships traveling that route. Cape Town's natural harbor and strategic position made it the perfect location.... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.3 Km or 1.4 Miles
Bo-Kaap Quarter Walking Tour
Bo-Kaap is Afrikaans for "above the Cape." The Bo-Kaap District is above Cape Town's city center, on the slopes of Signal Hill. It is the historical center of Cape Malay culture. In the 1760s, Jan de Waal bought land here and built houses he rented to his slaves.
Slaves came from Malaysia, Indonesia, and other parts of Africa. Many of these slaves were Muslim, and this area... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.0 Km or 0.6 Miles
Slaves came from Malaysia, Indonesia, and other parts of Africa. Many of these slaves were Muslim, and this area... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.0 Km or 0.6 Miles
Historical Houses Walking Tour
When Jan van Riebeeck arrived in Cape Town in 1652, his mission was to establish here a supply station for the ships of the Dutch East India Company sailing to East Africa, India, and the Far East. The oldest buildings in today's Cape Town, dating from the second half of the 17th century, are the remnants of that era.
Garden House, originally a shabby tool shed owned by the Dutch East... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.8 Km or 1.7 Miles
Garden House, originally a shabby tool shed owned by the Dutch East... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.8 Km or 1.7 Miles
Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip
16 Distinctively South African Things to Buy in Cape Town
The many hopes pinned on this place (Cape of Good Hope) by passing-by sailors over the centuries must have done a good job for Cape Town, seeing it become a colorful cultural hub and prominent metropolis (3rd largest) in South Africa. Overlooking the meeting point of the two oceans (Indian and...