Chavonnes battery museumWestern Cape, South africa
Chavonnes Battery museum of Cape Town 1
A museum showing a history of the Chavonnes battery — the first of several defensive structures built by the Dutch East India Company on the southern Cape of Africa.
It is named after Maurits Pasques de Chavonnes and was built at the start of the 18th century — several decades after the company set up its first resupply station for ships en-route to India.
The original structure was a small stone walled fort built on a rocky shore — with a purpose of protecting the station and settlement around it from enemies coming in from the sea.
However, it is said to have never experienced battle and as the area's population increased and weaponry improved its military importance decreased.
Construction of the Alfred basin in 1860 saw part of its wall demolished, with subsequent construction of factories and a coal bunker seeing it buried under rubble — where it remained until recent excavations of the area by the museum.
Today, part of the museum sits where the battery once was — a structure below water level, with some of the original walls still in place.
Inside are some of the findings from the excavations, along with other displays about the battery and area around it.
What to do thereExplore the museum or learn more about Cape Town's humble beginnings, with loads more to do in the area nearby or the V & A waterfront.
Best time to visitAny time of the year.
Location of Chavonnes battery museumNear the water's edge, at the V & A waterfront of Cape Town
How to get thereBy vehicle, walking, cycling, train, bus, boat, passenger minibus.
There is an airport within the city's limits as well as a bus and train station nearby.
References1. By Photograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net)., CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=71377337
It is named after Maurits Pasques de Chavonnes and was built at the start of the 18th century — several decades after the company set up its first resupply station for ships en-route to India.
The original structure was a small stone walled fort built on a rocky shore — with a purpose of protecting the station and settlement around it from enemies coming in from the sea.
However, it is said to have never experienced battle and as the area's population increased and weaponry improved its military importance decreased.
Construction of the Alfred basin in 1860 saw part of its wall demolished, with subsequent construction of factories and a coal bunker seeing it buried under rubble — where it remained until recent excavations of the area by the museum.
Today, part of the museum sits where the battery once was — a structure below water level, with some of the original walls still in place.
Inside are some of the findings from the excavations, along with other displays about the battery and area around it.
What to do thereExplore the museum or learn more about Cape Town's humble beginnings, with loads more to do in the area nearby or the V & A waterfront.
Best time to visitAny time of the year.
Location of Chavonnes battery museumNear the water's edge, at the V & A waterfront of Cape Town
How to get thereBy vehicle, walking, cycling, train, bus, boat, passenger minibus.
There is an airport within the city's limits as well as a bus and train station nearby.
References1. By Photograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net)., CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=71377337
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