Drostdy museumWestern Cape, South africa
Drostdy museum of Swellendam, the Drostdy building1
Swellendam's oldest buildings, the most prominent being the drostdy — built in 1747 by the Dutch East India Company, as a residence and HQ for the town's magistrate.
Others soon followed including a gaol or jail and a cottage for the jailer, a water mill, old barns, the Mayville house, and Zandrift building and farm.
They were built using Cape Dutch architecture — reed thatched roofs, white washed walls with gables, wooden doors and glass or wooden windows.
Most still stand today after some restoration, and have been furnished to show the way of life of South Africa's earliest European settlers.
What to do thereExplore the museum buildings, see or know more about the history of Swellendam and its earliest settlers, dine at the restaurant.
Best time to visitAny time of the year.
Location of Drostdy museumOn the eastern end of Swellendam — about 220 km east of Cape Town.
It is also within view of the Langeberg mountains.
How to get thereBy train, vehicle, bus.
There is a train station nearby.
References1. Par Zaian — Travail personnel, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24274480
Others soon followed including a gaol or jail and a cottage for the jailer, a water mill, old barns, the Mayville house, and Zandrift building and farm.
They were built using Cape Dutch architecture — reed thatched roofs, white washed walls with gables, wooden doors and glass or wooden windows.
Most still stand today after some restoration, and have been furnished to show the way of life of South Africa's earliest European settlers.
What to do thereExplore the museum buildings, see or know more about the history of Swellendam and its earliest settlers, dine at the restaurant.
Best time to visitAny time of the year.
Location of Drostdy museumOn the eastern end of Swellendam — about 220 km east of Cape Town.
It is also within view of the Langeberg mountains.
How to get thereBy train, vehicle, bus.
There is a train station nearby.
References1. Par Zaian — Travail personnel, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24274480
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