Have you ever strolled along a promenade feeling the ocean breeze? Green Point in Cape Town offers just that. Green Point is more than just a beautiful suburb. It’s a place steeped in history. It was once a flat coastal plain with dunes and even a Khoisan village. The Dutch called it Waterplaats because of its waterfront location. They tried building a mole into Table Bay but failed. Atlantic storms destroyed it.
Later a British fleet arrived in Simonstown. The Dutch built an artillery battery in Green Point as a defence. After the British conquered the Cape Colony in 1795 Green Point grew. The harbour developed. Commerce and population increased rapidly. Horse racing became hugely popular. The African Turf Club was established in 1797. The Green Point Common became the center of this activity. It housed tents for Boer prisoners of war during the Second Boer War.
In 1859 Sir George Grey laid the foundation stone for Somerset Hospital. It opened in 1864. It’s now a provincial heritage site. A railway line connected Cape Town and Sea Point through Green Point in 1889. It was eventually closed. Green Point became a whites-only area during apartheid. Steve Bloom a renowned photographer captured life under apartheid there. Despite this some non-white residents lived in Green Point. In the 1980s it was known as a grey area a term for racially mixed neighbourhoods.
Today Green Point boasts Cape Town Stadium built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The Green Point Common is now a vibrant urban park and biodiversity garden. It features an indigenous garden with local vegetation. The area’s transformation is evident. From a military base and prisoner of war camp to a modern thriving neighbourhood. Somerset Road teems with restaurants cafes delis boutiques and nightclubs. Green Point’s lively atmosphere attracts young professionals. Stylish apartments and mixed-use developments dominate the skyline. The MyCiti bus system serves Green Point easily connecting it to the rest of Cape Town. Green Point’s past is interwoven with its present creating a unique and captivating experience. Come explore this fascinating corner of Cape Town.