A beautiful and vibrant city with a long and troubled past, Cape Town is the ideal destination for a school trip with a historical focus. As well as providing a window onto South African history in general, it offers new perspectives on European expansion in the Age of Exploration, and is in many ways a place that poses important questions about both the past and future of the world. Settled by the Dutch in the 17th century, Cape Town has seen dramatic changes in its time - from the days of slavery to the release of Mandela and beyond. Here are some of the best places to begin exploring the city's complex heritage.
The Castle of Good Hope
Constructed by the Dutch East India Company to defend the Dutch settlement from the British, this star-shaped fort has been a constant through all the changes that Cape Town has undergone since its days as a colonial outpost. It served several purposes, housing a church, shops, bakery, workshops and homes, as well as a bell tower used to warn of conflict and tell the time. It was used as a prison during the Second Boer War, and some time afterwards as an army headquarters. All this and more can be investigated on a school trip visit to the Castle Military Museum, which it now houses.
District Six Museum
The legacy of apartheid can be learned about in almost any part of Cape Town, with many residents having their own experiences to share, but perhaps the best place to start on a school trip is the District Six museum. The Group Areas Act introduced by the National Party segregated districts of the city according to race, with District Six being declared a whites-only area in 1966, leading to forced removals of its population and the destruction of almost all buildings. The District Six Museum offers information on the cultural life of the area before the removals, and on life in South Africa under apartheid. It is also very much an ongoing memorial with community members visiting and meeting there regularly, and an important reminder that history has far-reaching effects on the present.
Robben Island
Located in Table Bay, Robben Island was the site of a political prison since the turn of the 18th century. It was first used by the Dutch to hold mutineers and anti-colonial leaders and activists from several Dutch colonies, and as a leper colony. Most famously, it is where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years during apartheid. Today, it is home to a museum where those on school trip can see former prison cells, and learn more about Mandela's time there, and the events surrounding his release.
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