Bo-Kaap is a historic Cape Town neighbourhood characterized by brightly
painted houses and a unique local culture. Most easily accessed on
foot, follow Wale Street in the direction of Signal Hill, to the narrow
cobbled streets and brightly painted Cape Dutch-infused Edwardian
style houses. Some of Bo-Kaap’s homes date back to the period 1763 to
1768. The oldest original house (at 71 Wale Street) is now home to the Bokaap museum. Another historic building is the Auwal Masjid mosque (est. 1794) in Dorp Street. Bo-Kaap is a vibrant neighborhood situated at the foot of Signal Hill
that has preserved a distinctive identity over centuries of change. It
is one of the most visited places in Cape Town
not only for its colorful picturesque terraced houses and steep cobbled
streets but also for its invaluable historical and heritage value.
The houses in the streets of Bo-Kaap are a mixture of Cape Dutch and Cape Georgian architectural styles combined with the Islamic faith, culture and eastern origin of the majority of its inhabitants. Many of the families in the Bo-Kaap have been living there for generations. The residents are mostly descendants of the slaves who were imported by the Dutch during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries to work in the Cape.
Bo-Kaap is one of the oldest urban residential areas in Cape Town. Its long history dates back to 1760s when Jan de Waal built several small “huurhuisjes” (rental houses) on this land, which he rented out to his slaves. This earliest development in the Bo-Kaap area became known as Waalendorp,
This neighborhood was formerly known as the Malay Quarter because its residents were brought from Malaysia, Indonesia, other parts of Asia and the rest of Africa to work in the Cape as slaves. They were convicts, slaves, political exiles, skilled craftsmen, artisans, famous scholars and religious leaders. And because a majority of them were East Indies who came from the Malay Archipelago, they became known as the Cape Malays.
The houses in the streets of Bo-Kaap are a mixture of Cape Dutch and Cape Georgian architectural styles combined with the Islamic faith, culture and eastern origin of the majority of its inhabitants. Many of the families in the Bo-Kaap have been living there for generations. The residents are mostly descendants of the slaves who were imported by the Dutch during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries to work in the Cape.
Bo-Kaap is one of the oldest urban residential areas in Cape Town. Its long history dates back to 1760s when Jan de Waal built several small “huurhuisjes” (rental houses) on this land, which he rented out to his slaves. This earliest development in the Bo-Kaap area became known as Waalendorp,
This neighborhood was formerly known as the Malay Quarter because its residents were brought from Malaysia, Indonesia, other parts of Asia and the rest of Africa to work in the Cape as slaves. They were convicts, slaves, political exiles, skilled craftsmen, artisans, famous scholars and religious leaders. And because a majority of them were East Indies who came from the Malay Archipelago, they became known as the Cape Malays.
When the slaves were freed in 1834, the
need for modest houses arose which prompted the property developers to
build many “huurhuisjes”. Many Muslims then moved to the new parts of
Bo-Kaap.
The bright colorful houses of today are
said to be attributed to the fact that while on the lease, all the
houses had to be white. So, when the slaves were allowed to buy the
properties, all the houses were painted bright colors by their owners as
an expression of their freedom.
The Bo-Kaap Museum
The Bo-Kaap Museum is the last remnant of Waalendorp. It is housed in
the oldest still standing building in Wale Street. The museum is the
place to find out about resident Islamic community, its history and
culture. The building was restored in the 1970s and opened in 1978 as a
satellite of the SA Cultural History Museum and was furnished as a house
that depicts the lifestyle of a nineteenth-century Muslim family.
Ride the open-top bus for an easy and safe way to get around Cape Town's
major attractions. Take the Red City Tour and get off at stop twelve
for Bo-Kaap and for Jewel Africa jewellery manufacturing outlet and showroom.
BO -KAAP -MUSEUM
COLORFUL HOUSES OF BO -KAAP
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