Liesbeek River
Encyclopedia
The Liesbeek River is a river in Cape Town
in South Africa
. It is named after a small river in Holland. The first "free burghers" of the Dutch East India Company
were granted land to farm along the river in 1657, shortly after the first Dutch settlers arrived in the Cape. The river was originally called the Amstel or Versse Rivier. It is the first river that Jan Van Riebeeck named.
The Liesbeek, which is less than 9 kilometers long, is situated in the oldest urbanised river valley in South Africa. The headwaters flow from the eastern slopes of Table Mountain above Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens where the vegetation is largely indigenous. The slopes of Bishopscourt have large properties, including Jan van Riebeeck’s farm. Water abstraction occurs here, often to water residential gardens, causing the flow to reduce during the summer months.
In Newlands, there are smaller residential plots. South African Breweries and the Josephine Mill are located here. From Rondebosch, large sections of the river are canalised, and those short sections of the river that are not, are degraded by erosion.
Below Rosebank and Mowbray, at Observatory, is the confluence of the Liesbeek and Black Rivers. The Two Rivers Urban Park is located on land between the Liesbeek and the Black with heritage sites and designated public open spaces. The Liesbeek empties into Table Bay at Paarden Island.
The Liesbeeck is home to the Platanna
, or African clawed frog, an amphibian that has been important in certain areas of medical research.
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. It is named after a small river in Holland. The first "free burghers" of the Dutch East India Company
Dutch East India Company
The Dutch East India Company was a chartered company established in 1602, when the States-General of the Netherlands granted it a 21-year monopoly to carry out colonial activities in Asia...
were granted land to farm along the river in 1657, shortly after the first Dutch settlers arrived in the Cape. The river was originally called the Amstel or Versse Rivier. It is the first river that Jan Van Riebeeck named.
The Liesbeek, which is less than 9 kilometers long, is situated in the oldest urbanised river valley in South Africa. The headwaters flow from the eastern slopes of Table Mountain above Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens where the vegetation is largely indigenous. The slopes of Bishopscourt have large properties, including Jan van Riebeeck’s farm. Water abstraction occurs here, often to water residential gardens, causing the flow to reduce during the summer months.
In Newlands, there are smaller residential plots. South African Breweries and the Josephine Mill are located here. From Rondebosch, large sections of the river are canalised, and those short sections of the river that are not, are degraded by erosion.
Below Rosebank and Mowbray, at Observatory, is the confluence of the Liesbeek and Black Rivers. The Two Rivers Urban Park is located on land between the Liesbeek and the Black with heritage sites and designated public open spaces. The Liesbeek empties into Table Bay at Paarden Island.
The Liesbeeck is home to the Platanna
African clawed frog
The African clawed frog is a species of South African aquatic frog of the genus Xenopus. Its name is derived from the three short claws on each hind foot, which it uses to tear apart its food...
, or African clawed frog, an amphibian that has been important in certain areas of medical research.