Page 258 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - South Africa

256  THE WESTERN AND SOUTHERN C APE

y Grahamstown

After the Fourth Frontier War of 1812, Colonel John Graham
established a military post on an abandoned farm near the
southeast coast. In an attempt to stabilize the region, the Cape
government enticed 4,500 British families to the farmlands.
Many of these “1820 Settlers” preferred an urban life, and
Grahamstown became a thriving trading centre, home to
the largest concentration of artisans outside Cape Town.

E History and Natural
Exploring Grahamstown
Grahamstown is known for its Sciences museums
Somerset Street. Open 9am–5pm
50 plus churches, university and Mon-Fri. Closed Public hols. & 7
superb schools. Its major
attractions lie within a 500-m P Old Provost
(1,625-ft) walk from the City Lucas Avenue. Open by appt. & Drostdy Gateway, the entrance to
Hall in High Street. Some 60 P Fort Selwyn Rhodes University
buildings have been declared Fort Selwyn Drive. Open by appt. &
national monuments, and a E Observatory Museum
host of beautifully restored R Cathedral of St Michael Bathurst Street. Tel 046 622 2312.
Georgian and Victorian and St George Open 9am–1pm, 2–4:30pm Mon–Fri,
residences line the streets. High St. Tel 046 622 2445. Open 9am– 9am–1pm Sat. Closed Good Fri, 25
3pm Mon–Fri, 9am–noon Sat . 7 Dec. & 7 (except turret).
E Albany Museum Complex ∑ grahamstowncathedral.org Also part of the Albany Museum
Tel 046 603 8111. ∑ ru.ac.za/ The town’s most prominent Complex, but on a different site,
albanymuseum landmark has a towering 51 m is the historic home and work-
Owned by Rhodes University, (166 ft) spire. The original St shop of a mid-19th-century
this complex incorporates six George’s Church, built in 1824, Grahams town jeweller. It has a
separate venues. Two of is the oldest Anglican Church Victorian camera obscura in the
them, the History and Natural in South Africa, and the organ turret, which projects images of
Sciences museums, display is one of the country’s finest. the town onto a wall.
fossils, settler artifacts and
Xhosa dress. Another, the Y Makana Botanical P Rhodes University
Old Provost, was built in Gardens Artillery Road. Tel 046 603 8111.
1838 as a military prison. Lucas Ave. Tel 046 603 8240. & multi-entry ticket. ∑ ru.ac.za
Drostdy Gateway, which Open 8am–4:30pm daily. 7 This beautiful old university
frames the university ∑ bots.ru.ac.za complex also houses the world-
entrance, is all that Reminiscent of an English famous South African Institute
remains of the 1842 park, these gardens for Aquatic Biodiversity, where
magistrate’s offices. adjoining the university, the most interesting displays are
Fort Selwyn, adjacent laid out in 1853, are a two rare embalmed coelacanths.
to the 1820 Settlers national monument. This prehistoric deep-water fish
Monument, was built in Indigenous plants was presumed extinct until its
1836 and was formally including aloes, cycads “discovery” in East London in
used as an artillery and proteas attract 1939. There is also a collection
barracks. It offers scenic more than 100 species of other marine and freshwater
views of the town. of garden birds. fish. Visitors interested in
traditional African music should
visit the Inter national Library
of African Music, which is also
on the campus.
E South African Institute for
Aquatic Biodiversity
Somerset Street. Tel 046 603 5800.
Open 8am–4pm Mon–Fri. Closed
Good Fri, 25 Dec. ∑ saiab.ac.za
E International Library of
African Music
Rhodes University. Tel 046 603 8557.
Open by appointment. 7
The Cathedral of St Michael and St George on High Street ∑ ru.ac.za/ilam
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp387–8 and pp404–5

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