Heritage Square

Heritage Square is in the centre of historic Cape Town and consists of a large square of Dutch and Georgian houses, some of which are centred around an intimate courtyard. The earliest building was built in 1771, whilst the hotel was constructed in the 1780's. Archival research shows that most of the buildings were used for commercial reasons, such as tobacco and snuff makers, gunsmiths, bakery, wheelwright, rope warehouse, coach makers, several retail outfits, boarding house, chapel and undertaker. Preserved within the warren of alleyways is one of Cape Town's few remaining operational forgers.

One can witness original blacksmith craftsmanship in daily operation as well as view a collection of some of the finest original furnace tools and equipment. The courtyard meanwhile is home to arguably the oldest living grapevine in South Africa. Planted in 1781 it is still alive, and thanks to careful (or rather brutal pruning each year) guests of the hotel can enjoy breakfast each morning under the shaded canopy. In the dark distant past, some of the buildings were used as slave quarters. Heritage Square is now a vibrant community consisting of many restaurants, a hairdresser, boutiques and hotel! And just think, all this might not be in existence if the city council had had its way.

In the 1960's Heritage Square was earmarked for demolition, in order to establish a multi storey car park, linked to a ring road. Luckily finances to complete this project were never available, and at the end of the 1980's consent was granted to renovate the square, starting the largest private conservation project the city has ever had.