St. George's Cathedral, Cape Town
Saint George鈥檚 Cathedral on Wale Street is renowned for two things: the first is its beautiful stained glass windows; the second is that even after 120 years, it still isn鈥檛 finished!
The cathedral was designed on the site of a former church by Sir Henry Baker in 1901. Building started in 1906, but due to a lack of funds, the North Transept wasn鈥檛 finished until 1936. By this time Sir Henry had returned to England, where he died ten years later.
Work dragged on slowly over the years. The Lady Chapel and the south aisle were completed in 1963, the Bell Tower and the Link in 1978. The cathedral is still waiting for the Chapter House to be added onto the end of the Link.
In 1982 the French stained-glass artist Gabriel Loire donated the magnificent window entitled 鈥淐hrist in Triumph over Darkness and Evil鈥� to the cathedral. This masterpiece is dedicated to the memory of Earl Mountbatten of Burma, the last Viceroy of India. The beautiful rose window is in the South Transept and in the Link is a window dating back to 1866 of the Last Supper.
In the cathedral gardens, you can walk the Labyrinth and buy souvenirs in the Cathedral Book and Bric-脿-Brac Shop opposite the church. This great shop not only sells religious books but also cookbooks, children鈥檚 stories, and fiction. You can browse through the CDs or old records, pictures and paintings, antiques and occasionally small items of furniture.
Tip:
Be sure to visit the crypt and the beautiful wooden homage to Archbishop Desmond Tutu at the entrance leading to the Company Garden.
The cathedral was designed on the site of a former church by Sir Henry Baker in 1901. Building started in 1906, but due to a lack of funds, the North Transept wasn鈥檛 finished until 1936. By this time Sir Henry had returned to England, where he died ten years later.
Work dragged on slowly over the years. The Lady Chapel and the south aisle were completed in 1963, the Bell Tower and the Link in 1978. The cathedral is still waiting for the Chapter House to be added onto the end of the Link.
In 1982 the French stained-glass artist Gabriel Loire donated the magnificent window entitled 鈥淐hrist in Triumph over Darkness and Evil鈥� to the cathedral. This masterpiece is dedicated to the memory of Earl Mountbatten of Burma, the last Viceroy of India. The beautiful rose window is in the South Transept and in the Link is a window dating back to 1866 of the Last Supper.
In the cathedral gardens, you can walk the Labyrinth and buy souvenirs in the Cathedral Book and Bric-脿-Brac Shop opposite the church. This great shop not only sells religious books but also cookbooks, children鈥檚 stories, and fiction. You can browse through the CDs or old records, pictures and paintings, antiques and occasionally small items of furniture.
Tip:
Be sure to visit the crypt and the beautiful wooden homage to Archbishop Desmond Tutu at the entrance leading to the Company Garden.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Cape Town. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51爆料网: 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.
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St. George's Cathedral on Map
Sight Name: St. George's Cathedral
Sight Location: Cape Town, South Africa (See walking tours in Cape Town)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Cape Town, South Africa (See walking tours in Cape Town)
Sight Type: Religious
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.
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
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
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
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
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...