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St. George's Cathedral & the Company Gardens

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meadowlark
meadowlark
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St. George's Cathedral

  • December 19, 2005
  • Rated 4 of 5 by Overlander from Muscat, Oman
St. George's Cathedral

St. George's Anglican Cathedral, the home church of Nobel Laureate, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, is located on Wale Street in the center of Cape Town. Designed by Sir Herbert Baker, a well-known early 20th-century architect, its foundation stone was laid by the future George V. Built of local stone, it features some first-rate stained glass windows depicting the lives of several prophets, martyrs, and saints. The rose window alone is worth the trip to see the edifice.

We were there just after Christmas, so some of the decorations were still up, including a quite delightful creche. There's also a plaque commemorating a 1995 visit of Queen Elizabeth on the occasion of South Africa's first Human Rights Day.

From journal Cape Town, the Mother City

St. George's Cathedral & the Company Gardens

  • March 8, 2003
  • Rated 4 of 5 by meadowlark from Boston, Massachusetts
St. George's Cathedral & the Company Gardens

Sitting in the Anglican church service at St. George's Cathedral, I couldn't help but be distracted by the variety of roles this church has played in history. The plaque on the wall near where I was sitting marked the dedication of one of the stained-glass windows to Lord Mountbatten (a cousin to Enlish kings Edward VIII and George VI, father of the current queen) for his services as commander of South Asian forces during WWII. I was also reminded that Cecial Rhodes's funeral was held here, further attesting to the British colonial past. In contrast, however, was the thought of the anti-apartheid protesters who gathered here since the cathedral was home to the Archbishop of Cape Town, Desmond Tutu. While the historical references are quite moving, the architecture of the cathedral is not particularly remarkable. Definitely go for atmosphere.

The Company Gardens next door are not only a beautiful and relaxing place to walk around in, but also have historical significance as well. Outside the entrance is the slave lodge. The large green shutters were to keep people who might want to take advantage of the slaves out of the lodge. Next door is the red and white parliament building and next to that is the president's office, which used to be a large stable at one point in its past. The gardens are quite beautiful, with many foreign as well as native species of trees and flowers (all labeled). There is also a large statue of Cecil Rhodes. The gardens are an excellent place to relax and take pictures.

While this is a great place for strolling or eating your lunch, you should beware of pickpockets. My friends were accosted by a 14-year-old youth who put his hand in my friend's father's pocket and wouldn't take it out! Fortunately, some older youths happened by and helped remove the boy.

From journal Facing the Past: Historical Sights in Cape Town

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