When a perpetual quitrent for the land around Cape Point was granted to farmer John Osmond in 1816, an unusual clause was included in the lease. It stipulated that the owner or occupier of the land would permit the authorities to erect a lighthouse on the Cape Point peninsular, and to allow all necessary access. But this commendable foresight did not translate into action until 1857, when a decision to proceed with the building of a lighthouse was first approved.
Various sites were considered, but ultimately a location on top of Cape Point Peak, 238 meters (781 feet) above sea level, was selected. Alexander Gordon of the British Lighthouse Authority was appointed as the architect, Victoria Foundry Company was contracted to supply the cast iron tower, and London-based lamp manufacturer James De Ville was chosen to engineer the lantern components. Construction work began on the 16th of March 1859, under the supervision of Gordon himself. |
It is commonly believed, even by the locals, that Cape Point is both the southernmost tip of Africa and the place where two oceans – the Atlantic and the Indian – meet, but this is not geographically correct. That distinction belongs to Cape Agulhas, which is approximately 160 kilometers (100 miles) to the east. Be that as it may, this in no way detracts from the raw and splendid natural beauty of this rocky peninsular.
The area was originally named Cabo das Tormentas ("Cape of Storms") by Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias, who was the first European to sail around Cape Point in 1488. The Portuguese ruler at the time, King John II, believed that the name had a negative connotation, so he renamed it to Cabo da Boa Esperança (“Cape of Good Hope”). |
LSA Number |
16 |
Name |
Cape Point (Old) |
Province |
Western Cape |
Location |
Cape Point |
GPS Coordinates |
S34.353926 E18.490478 34°21'14.1"S 18°29'25.7"E |
ARLHS Number |
SAF-008 |
Admiralty Number |
Not applicable |
NGA Number |
Not applicable |
Active |
No |
First Established |
1860 |
Commission Date |
1 May 1860 |
Decommission Date |
10 March 1919 |
Construction Type |
Round cast iron tower |
Daymark |
Tower upper half painted white, lower half painted black; lantern painted white with a red dome. |
Tower Height |
8 meters (26 feet) |
Focal Plane |
Not applicable |
Luminous Intensity |
Not applicable |
Nominal Range |
Not applicable |
Characteristic |
Not applicable |
Period |
Not applicable |
Pattern |
Not applicable |
Pattern Description |
Not applicable |
Manned |
No |
Site Open |
Yes |
Fenced |
No |
Tower Open |
No |
Accommodation |
No |
Access Method |
Car + Hike |
Access Notes |
The road to the parking area at Cape Point is tarred. To reach the lighthouse, a fairly strenuous walk of about 700 meters up a steep hill is required. The walk can be avoided by catching a ride (for a fee) on the Flying Dutchman funicular railway. |