Town Hall
- March 5, 2003
- Rated 4 of 5 by
meadowlark from Boston, Massachusetts
The Town Hall carries many memories for the people of Cape Town. Built by the British, its architecture is a reminder of the colonial past. The image of front of the building as an impressive monument to colonial rule has been replaced however, with that of Nelson Mandela's first address to the crowds, from the Town Hall balcony, as a free man after being released from prison at the end of apartheid. Our tour guide told us that was the first time she had ever seen Mandela -- or even knew what he looked like since the prison guards at Mandela's prison on Robben Island tried to keep photos of him from getting out.
We went to the town hall for a concert. The Hall is rather small for a concert and seats around 500 people. There is a small balcony (where we sat) as well as three loges on each side. The upside of a small hall is that even in the balcony we felt close to the stage. There was an enormous, beautiful pipe organ in the back. One of the most moving parts (other than the music of course!) was when the head of Cape Town tourism spoke. She said that the last time she had been in the little back room (where she waited before going on stage to greet us) was when she was with Mandela right before he went out to give the speech after his release.
From journal Facing the Past: Historical Sights in Cape Town