Victoria & Alfred Waterfront
Encyclopedia
The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront in the historic heart of Cape Town
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...
's working harbour is South Africa's
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...
most-visited destination, having the highest rate of foreign tourists of any attraction in the country. Situated between Robben Island
Robben Island
Robben Island is an island in Table Bay, 6.9 km west of the coast of Bloubergstrand, Cape Town, South Africa. The name is Dutch for "seal island". Robben Island is roughly oval in shape, 3.3 km long north-south, and 1.9 km wide, with an area of 5.07 km². It is flat and only a...
and Table Mountain
Table Mountain
Table Mountain is a flat-topped mountain forming a prominent landmark overlooking the city of Cape Town in South Africa, and is featured in the flag of Cape Town and other local government insignia. It is a significant tourist attraction, with many visitors using the cableway or hiking to the top...
and set against a backdrop of sea and mountain views, it offers a variety of shopping and entertainment options to visitors, intermingled with office locations, the Somerset Hospital
Somerset Hospital (Cape Town)
The Somerset Hospital in the Green Point area of Cape Town, South Africa opened in 1864 and has been declared a national monument.The hospital replaced one of the same name in Chiapinni Street, which had been founded by Dr Samuel Bailey in 1818 as the first civilian hospital in Cape Town...
, hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
s (such as the historical Breakwater Lodge
Breakwater Lodge
The Breakwater Lodge in the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town, South Africa was built as a prison in 1859. It is now part of the University of Cape Town and a hotel....
- once a 19th century prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
) and luxury apartments in the residential marina
Marina
A marina is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats.A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or cargo from freighters....
.
It houses the Nelson Mandela Gateway which offers boat trips to Robben Island
Robben Island
Robben Island is an island in Table Bay, 6.9 km west of the coast of Bloubergstrand, Cape Town, South Africa. The name is Dutch for "seal island". Robben Island is roughly oval in shape, 3.3 km long north-south, and 1.9 km wide, with an area of 5.07 km². It is flat and only a...
, as well as the Two Oceans Aquarium
Two Oceans Aquarium
The Two Oceans Aquarium is an aquarium located at the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa. The aquarium opened on the 13 November 1995 and comprises seven exhibition galleries with large viewing windows:...
and Chavonnes Battery
Chavonnes Battery
The Chavonnes battery was a fortification protecting Cape Town, South Africa. Built in the early 18th century, it has served many purposes but is now a museum.-History:...
museum. The SAS Somerset
SAS Somerset
The SAS Somerset was a Bar-class Boom Defence Vessel of the South African Navy, originally built by Blythe Shipyard and commissioned as HMS Barcross in 1941.....
is used as a museum and moored within the inner basin.
History
Prince AlfredAlfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha was the third Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and reigned from 1893 to 1900. He was also a member of the British Royal Family, the second son and fourth child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha...
, second son of Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
, began construction of the harbour in 1860. The first basin was named after himself, the second after his mother, hence the name.
The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront development is a renewal project that incorporates much of the historic harbour infrastructure. The whole complex is managed by a private company owned by Transnet
Transnet
Transnet SOC Ltd is a large South African rail, port and pipeline company, headquartered in the Carlton Centre in Johannesburg. It was formed as a limited company on April 1, 1990. A majority of the company's stock is owned by the Department of Public Enterprises, or DPE, of the South African...
. An international consortium of Dubai World
Dubai World
Dubai World is an investment company that manages and supervises a portfolio of businesses and projects for the Dubai government across a wide range of industry segments and projects that promote Dubai as a hub for commerce and trading. It is the emirate's flag bearer in global investments and has...
and London & Regional Properties
London & Regional Properties
London & Regional Properties is a property company based in London, United Kingdom. It is one of the largest privately held property companies in Europe....
acquired the development in 2006 at a record value in South African terms of 7.4 billion rand. They sold the completed attraction to South African owners Growthpoint, the country's largest property company, and the Public Investment Corporation in 2011.