South Africa Cape of Good Hope. Cape of Good Hope photo and location on the world map
Bartolomeo Dias, a Portuguese navigator, was the first to circumnavigate the cape in 1488. When he returned, he stopped at the southwestern tip of Africa and named it the Cape of Storms. But King John II of Portugal renamed it the Cape of Good Hope. This cape was rounded in 1497 by the ship of Vasco da Gama on the way to India. The bold travels of the Portuguese navigators made it possible to lay a sea route around the cape, then regular sailings began, however, due to the deceptive coastline and dangerous fogs, these places have seen many shipwrecks.
In order to reduce the risk of possible catastrophes, it was decided to build a lighthouse on the cape. The first lighthouse was built in 1857 at a height of 238 m above sea level, but it turned out to be so high that fogs and clouds cover it for more than 900 hours a year. After the wreck of the Portuguese liner Lusitania in 1911, the lighthouse was relocated and built just 87 meters above sea level. Construction work began in 1913 and continued for almost six years due to the difficulty of getting building materials here and adverse conditions. weather conditions. The lighthouse is the most powerful on the coast South Africa. Visible at a distance of 63 km, it emits three flashes of light every 30 seconds with a power of 10 million candles.
The area around the lighthouse
On the shore around the lighthouse, and today you can see the remains of 26 ships that did not manage to go around the cape. One of the most famous shipwrecks was the sinking of the Thomas T. Tucker, one of hundreds of ships built by the United States of America to carry supplies to the Allies during World War II. On the very first voyage, the ship went off course due to fog and ran into the rocks.
The picturesque area around the lighthouse consists of green hills through which trails descend to secluded beaches where elans, baboons, ostriches and bonteboks live - brightly colored antelopes. From this side of the cape, it is difficult to even imagine how many tragedies happened very close by.
The Cape of Good Hope was first stumbled upon by the Portuguese seafarer Bartolomeu Dias. This significant event took place in 1488. He named it Cape Storms. But the Portuguese king Juan II did not like this name, and he ordered it to be renamed the Cape of Good Hope, hoping that the name would somehow appease the depths of the sea and the path to India would be opened, which later happened.
The Cape of Good Hope is a symbol of South Africa. The cape is located on the Cape Peninsula. From Cape Town it takes 4 hours to get here. Time will fly by unnoticed: beautiful savannas, walking ostriches, baboons, antelopes - all this looks extremely beautiful and organic.
Further, the path lies through the reserve with the same name. The surface of the earth here is covered with dense low vegetation, so it is almost impossible to move on foot, only by car. Plants growing in the reserve cannot be seen anywhere else on the planet.
The fauna is also unique. Here are monkeys, and cheetahs, and rhinos, and lions, and other predators. And most importantly, along with these representatives of hot Africa, penguins roam here. You definitely won't see this anywhere.
At the Cape of Good Hope, you can sunbathe and swim on the beaches. The swimming season is from September to May.
The main attraction of Good Hope is, of course, the 240-meter-high lighthouse built in 1860. Today, the lighthouse does not work, because it is often shrouded in a veil of clouds and it is still not visible to ships. But it is equipped viewpoint. A cable car leads to it, and you can walk. There is also a restaurant and souvenir shop here. Climbing onto the site, there is a feeling of flying over two oceans. Here is the meeting point of the Indian Ocean with the Atlantic, in honor of which even a special aquarium was arranged in Cape Town. On the one hand, the cape is washed by one, on the other by the other. If you look closely, you can see that the oceans are somewhat different in color.
From the Cape of Good Hope you can go by boat to the island of fur seals. On the same small island, just four sq. km, was once a prison, and now a museum that tells about historical events countries.
Cape of Good Hope on the map of Cape Town
The Cape of Good Hope was first discovered by the Portuguese seafarer Bartolomeu Dias. This significant event took place in 1488. He named it Cape Storms. But the Portuguese king Juan II did not like this name, and he ordered to rename it the Cape of Good Hope, hoping that the name would somehow appease the depths of the sea and the way to India would be opened, which in the future..." />
The city of Cape Town is located in the Republic of South Africa, on the Cape Peninsula, near the Cape of Good Hope. The city center is occupied by mansions and buildings of old Dutch architecture, built in the Victorian style. But they are relatively few. On the one hand, they are sandwiched by Table Bay, and on the other, by Table Mountain.
Cape Town is often the last stop on a South African tour itinerary, which includes:
Photo hunting in the national park,
This South African city has a lot of entertainment and attractions, but the main ones are the Cape of Good Hope and Table Mountain, from which many travelers who have been there are breathtaking.
Cape of Good Hope
In the 15th century, the Cape of Good Hope served as the embodiment of the dream of Portuguese navigators who were looking for a way to India. It was originally called the Cape of Storms, but under King Juan II, this point on the Cape Peninsula was renamed. Now the Cape of Good Hope is known for its landscapes, which attract millions of tourists. The cape is the most extreme southwestern point of Africa, which is also confirmed by scientists. On the site in front of this place there is an indication with the exact coordinates.
Ocean coast near Cape Town.
Reserve on the Cape
The road to the Cape of Good Hope passes through the reserve of the same name. It is distinguished by dense thickets of various plants that interfere with walking. Their highest density is observed on the Cape Peninsula, so you cannot do without a car here.
The reserve covers an area of more than 7,000 hectares. In it, along with the rarest representatives of the flora, there are also representatives of the fauna unique to Africa, such as penguins. It is especially unusual to see them next to antelopes and cheetahs, since they are associated only with the coldest points on the planet. However, this is not a mirage. Penguins made their way to Africa from Antarctica. Previously, penguins walked around the entire reserve, but then a separate area was allocated for them, called Boulders Beach.
Penguins at the Cape of Good Hope.
Lighthouse
The lighthouse was built in 1860, and now it is one of the main attractions of the cape. It rises 240 meters above sea level and is considered the highest in South Africa. The lighthouse has an observation deck. It is equipped at an altitude of 200 meters, and you can climb it either by funicular or on foot. Nearby there is a souvenir shop and a restaurant with a terrace with amazing views.
From here, tourists can see two oceans at once: one side of the cape is washed by the waters of the Atlantic, and on the other, the Indian. Looking closely, you can see that they differ from each other in color.
Beaches
On the Cape of Good Hope there is an opportunity to relax on the beach. The swimming season usually begins in September: at this time, sunny weather sets in, and a good tan is guaranteed. The season ends in May.
One of the beaches in Cape Town.
At the same time, along the coast there are some climatic features. For example, the western side is characterized by a mild climate, sandy shores, peace and quiet. Here are the beaches. It is warmer in the east, but the strong winds blowing there give inconvenience, which prevent swimming, so tourists in this part of the coast prefer only to settle on the coast and admire the ocean.
Tours
An excursion to the Cape of Good Hope most often includes a visit to the reserve and the coast of penguins. But besides them, there are other sights worth seeing. For example, on the coast of the so-called "Fake Bay" a road was laid to the town of Simonstown, where the base of the British Royal Navy was located in the past.
Of interest to tourists is the island of fur seals, with an area of 4 square kilometers, which has a rather turbulent history. Since the 17th century there has been a prison, a hospital and a military base. It was on this island that Nelson Mandella, the future president of South Africa, was imprisoned.
In 1999, UNESCO listed the island as a World Heritage Site. A museum dedicated to the history of the state was opened there. For tourists, they conduct tours of the cells and the prison courtyard.
table mountain
This is the main attraction of Cape Town itself, without which it is impossible to imagine this South African city. Table Mountain, or Mount Table, is recognized as a symbol of the city and is included in the UNESCO heritage list. It rises to 1087 meters.
View of Table Mountain from the harbor of Cape Town.
The first European to climb this peak was the Portuguese sailor António de Saldanha. At that time, Table Mountain was covered with centuries-old hardwood trees. They were used in the construction of a wooden fort for a new settlement. Usually mountains end in pointed tops, but Table Mountain has a flat top, like a tabletop, which is why the mountain got its name.
Most of the time, Table Mountain is covered with clouds, so not all tourists manage to get on it. Due to weather conditions, the city authorities may prohibit climbing to the top in order to avoid any accidents with travelers. And the weather in Cape Town is unstable, and the reason for this is the warm and cold currents of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans that meet at this location. When thick cloud masses cover the mountain, the townspeople say that it is covered with a tablecloth.
Many legends are associated with this phenomenon. According to one of them, one of local residents, whose name was Fan Hanks, smoked tobacco with such a vile smell that the townspeople escorted him to the mountain slopes. There he met the devil, who offered him to arrange a competition: who will smoke whom. Hanks accepted the offer. They lit a cigarette, and their smoke covered the entire mountain. Since then, the inhabitants of Cape Town have referred to this legend when they see Mount Table covered with a white "tablecloth".
When the weather is good, clear, you can climb to its top with the help of cable car. This mountain is considered the best viewing platform, it is included in the list of the ten most visited places by tourists around the world. There are viewing telescopes, a souvenir shop and a restaurant. From here you can see the entire Cape Town. But travelers are especially delighted by the view from the top of the mountain during sunset, when the horizon merges with the ocean.
While walking along Table Mountain, tourists will meet many representatives of the local fauna and flora. There are approximately 1,470 plant species here, including the protea, recognized as a real symbol of South Africa.
Several peaks adjoin Table Mountain, which are part of national park peninsulas. These are Devil's Peak, Lion's Head and the mountain of the Twelve Apostles.
In addition to visiting the Cape of Good Hope and Table Mountain, in Cape Town you should definitely try the wines from the Cape region, which are famous far beyond Africa and highly appreciated by many gourmets and wine connoisseurs around the world. And also take a couple of surfing lessons on the most famous surfer beach in South Africa.
The Cape of Good Hope is located in the south of the Cape Peninsula, one of the most major cities South Africa. Once it had the name Cape Storms and it is quite justified. After all, strong currents, storms, winds and fog are inseparable companions of this place, moreover, icebergs often swim here; all this at different times led to the death of a dozen ships.
Why was the Cape of Good Hope named?
The navigator who discovered the Cape of Good Hope in Africa was called Bartolomeu Dias; on the orders of the Portuguese king, he went in search of a sea route to India around Africa. Another storm confused the explorer's plans, and he lost his bearings, so trusting his intuition, he went north, where he met the cape, giving him the name of the cause of his disaster. The ship was too damaged, and the crew rebelled, so even seeing the beginning of the journey to the Indian Ocean, Dias was forced to turn back. In 1497, Vasco da Gama was sent to pave the way to the Indian coast, and since his journey was fueled not only by responsibility, but also by hope, the cape was immediately renamed the Cape of Good Hope.
Rest on the cape
On the this moment The Cape of Good Hope is one of the most famous national parks in the world. This is the place where the Atlantic and Indian oceans join, so this is the point on the globe where you can visit two different oceans at the same time.
The Cape of Good Hope is located in the south of the Cape Peninsula, near Cape Point, at the foot of which it originates, where the water is much warmer than other water basins in this area. The waters of the bay are heated by warm currents Indian Ocean. Therefore, the beaches near the cape are always filled with people.
In addition, not far from the cape is national park"", which conquers with its flora and fauna, many amazing animals live there - from monkeys to penguins.
How to get there?
For a very long time, the Cape of Good Hope was considered the southern point of Africa, so finding it on a world map is quite simple, because this information is captured in the form of exact coordinates on a plate installed on the site in front of the cape. The city is located near the Cape of Good Hope.
The Cape of Good Hope - the most famous cape in Africa - is located in the Republic of South Africa, on the Cape Peninsula.
It was discovered in 1488 by the Portuguese navigator Bartolomeu Dias (circa 1450-1500). The discoverer called this place the Cape of Storms: an inopportunely played out storm almost sank all three ships of Dias. Presumably, the Portuguese king João II the Perfect (1455-1495) renamed it the Cape of Good Hope: the king was incredibly glad that Portugal had found its way to India and would now compete with Arab merchants, who for many centuries had a monopoly on trade with this fabulously rich region.
Exhausted by the long journey and frequent skirmishes with the natives, the crew of Dias's ships, under the threat of a mutiny, forced the captain to head home to the shores of Portugal. The Portuguese expedition of 1497-1499, which rounded the Cape of Good Hope, sailed successfully to India, and returned to Lisbon to report its success, was commanded by Vasco da Gama (circa 1460-1524), and his task did not include the development of South Africa.
This was done by the Dutch in 1652, the first to settle in these places. It turned out that in the vicinity of the cape for a long time the people of the so-called capoid small race, related to the Bushmen, called the Hottentots by the Dutch (from the word "stutterer") have been living for a long time because of the special clicking sounds in speech (subsequently the name "Hottentots" acquired a sharply negative connotation, in Africa nowadays considered an insult, it was replaced by the self-name "Khoi-Koin" of the Nama people, who are part of the Hottentot group).
The Dutch founded the most important port city of their time (eng. "city on a cape"). Cape Town has long been the most important and the only transit point in southern Africa on the way from Rotterdam to India and back; a place where the sick were treated, and a center for supplying merchant ships of the Dutch East India Company with fresh water and food.
At first, the natives received the guests cordially, but when, from 1657, the Europeans began to oust them from their native land and enslave them, bloodshed and racial conflicts began. "Local atheists" put up stubborn resistance.
In 1795, Great Britain took away southern Africa from Holland, the territory became known as the colonial province of the Cape of Good Hope. The descendants of the first colonists - the Boers (in Dutch "peasants") were dissatisfied with the new order, began to move to the north of the continent ("Great Track") and settled there, overcoming the resistance of the Zulus. The British showed interest in the Boer republics when deposits of diamonds were discovered there, and then gold. At the end of the XIX century. after two stubborn Anglo-Boer wars (1899-1902), the British completely captured the entire territory of South Africa. In 1910, four British colonies - Natal, Transvaal, the Orange Free State and the Cape Province merged into the Union of South Africa.
After a long period of colonial dependence in 1961, the free state of the Republic of South Africa was created.
The Cape of Good Hope is an important part of the Table Mountain National Park (“Table Mountain”), called the Cape of Good Hope National Reserve with an area of more than 7 thousand hectares. No less famous than unique geographical position, the Cape of Good Hope brought its peculiar flora and fauna.
The Cape Peninsula alone is home to several thousand plant species and at least 250 bird species. Birds are attracted here by the seeds of many species of evergreen hard-leaved shrubs (the common name is "fynbosh" in Afrikaans) growing in South Africa.
The most recognizable birds of the Cape of Good Hope are African penguins, and the scientific name of this bird is the spectacled or black-footed penguin. Sometimes it is called "donkey" - for the characteristic cry. The penguin reaches 65-70 cm in height, its weight is from 3 to 5 kg. He has practically no enemies here, except for feral cats and seagulls. People have long been accustomed to these cute birds and resigned themselves to the need to drive them out with a stick from under cars, where penguins climb in search of shade. In addition, tourists like penguins, and tourism brings significant income to the budget of the Western Cape. When there are oil leaks from giant supertankers around the cape, the penguins are covered with oil, and then people come to their aid: the stained favorites of the public are washed with special means by detachments of volunteers from all over Cape Town.
No less famous is the bear baboon colony: these primates, which are called chakma in Africa, settled here a million years ago. Baboons have adapted perfectly to life on the ocean, even switching from plant foods to shellfish and shark eggs washed ashore. Baboons collect and eat their prey during high tide.
Local ostrich farms are also more of a tourism business than an industry. Agriculture: Tourists charge decent money for the tour, about $50.
Among surfers, the Cape of Good Hope is famous for its luxurious surf: fans from all over the world come here to ride on wide waves. Sometimes there are so many surfers that there is literally “no crowding” around the cape.
The waters off the coast of the Cape of Good Hope are full not only of surfers, but also of whales that migrate from all over the Southern Hemisphere towards the Cape coast to acquire offspring there. The whale season is from June to October, and then the entire coast of the southern - southwestern tip of Africa turns into a large platform for watching the dances of the largest marine mammals.
From the cape you can also see Robben Island with a colony of fur seals. The island is small - only 4 km 2, but it is famous not only for seals, but also for its history. Since the 17th century there was a military base, a hospital and a prison. It was here that the fighter for the rights of the black population and the future President of South Africa Nelson Mandela (born in 1918) was imprisoned. Ace 1999 Robben Island with fur seal colony listed world heritage UNESCO and a museum has been opened on it.
general information
Location: the extreme southwestern point of Africa.Discovery date: 1488 (Portuguese expedition of Bartolomeu Dias).
Nearest Big City: Cape Town, 3,497,097 people (2007).
Languages: Afrikaans, English, Zulu, Swazi.
Ethnic composition (Cape Town): mulattos (the so-called "brown people") - 48.1%, Africans - 31%, whites - 18.8%, Asians and others - 2.1% (2001).
Religions: Christianity, Islam, Hinduism.
Currency unit: South African rand.
Airport: Cape Town International Airport.
Numbers
Area: 77.5 km 2 (reserve "Cape of Good Hope").The most high point: Table Mountain (Cape Town, 1087 m).
The height of the coastal cliffs: about 200 m.
Climate and weather
subtropical marine(Mediterranean), a strong wind constantly blows (in summer - from the southeast, in winter - from the northwest).July average temperature:+10°С.
January average temperature:+27°С.
Average annual rainfall: 540 mm (mainly from May to August).
Relative humidity: 75-80%.
Attractions
■ national reserve"Cape of Good Hope" - part of the Table Mountain National Park ("Table Mountain");■ Colony of spectacled (black-footed) penguins; a colony of bear baboon chakma;
■ Cape Agulhas (identifying the southern tip of Africa) and Cape Point (Cape of Good Hope lighthouse and lookout (1857/60); False Bay; surfer beaches; Robben Island (fur seals).
■ South African Astronomical Observatory (second half of the 20th century);
■ Cape Town City: V&A Waterfront, Two Oceans Aquarium - the largest aquarium in the Southern Hemisphere, Botanical Garden Kirstenbosch (founded in 1913, one of the seven best botanical gardens in the world), the Castle of Good Hope (second half of the 17th century, the oldest building in South Africa), the South African National Gallery.
Curious facts
■ Bartolomeu Dias - the discoverer of the Cape of Good Hope - subsequently took part in the discovery of Brazil, but while sailing off the coast of Africa, his ship disappeared without a trace in the ocean, and the fate of the navigator remained unknown.
■ At the beginning of the XX century. The number of spectacled penguins at the Cape of Good Hope was more than a million individuals. In the past, the total population of this species has been steadily declining: in 1956 - 145 thousand, in 1972 - 70 thousand - due to the uncontrolled use of penguin eggs for food. As a result of protective measures, the number of African penguins has now reached 185 thousand individuals. In order for African penguins to safely breed, and to protect eggs from seagulls, special clay oval houses are equipped for penguins in nesting places.
■ Finbosh is about 9,000 species of evergreen hard-leaved shrubs, ie it is the general name of the local type of vegetation (in Afrikaans). Of these, 6200 are endemic. There are about 2200 species of plants on the Cape Peninsula - more than in Great Britain or Holland, where about one and a half thousand species grow. Although the fynbos occupies about 0.5% of the territory of Africa, it makes up about 20% of the species diversity of the flora of the African continent.
■ Currently, about 400 bear baboons live at the Cape of Good Hope. This species of primate, despite enhanced protection, is endangered. The reason is the narrowing of the habitat, genetic isolation and conflicts with people whose homes baboons visit in search of food.
■ Local legend says that it is here, on the Cape of Good Hope, that you can most often see the "Flying Dutchman" - a mysterious ship whose captain sold his soul to the devil in 1680 for a chance to avoid a storm. They say that this ship is destined to be seen by the one with whom misfortune will soon happen. The funicular that takes you up to the lighthouse is also called the Flying Dutchman.
