Roeland Street.
figure 1: Roeland Street Terrace board; photo by Lukanyo Tshitshi
Roeland Street is on the edge of the inner-city of Cape Town; it is a long stretch of street situated in an area where there is improvement development. It is situated on the eastern side of the town, starting straight in front of the parliament buildings.
Roeland street has been around since Cape Town's earliest days. The street has treasures, among others, and businesses. It is a very quiet place at night as there are law enforcement officers all over patrolling the area, and during the day, security is not a problem. It is a good place to go.
The Kimberley hotel. (KIMBO)
figure 2 : Kimberley hotel; photo by Lukanyo Tshitshi.
The Kimberley Hotel is one of the few oldest buildings in Roeland Street; it was constructed in 1895 and was functioning as a starting point for horse-drawn carriages leaving Cape Town for the mining town of Kimberley in the Northern Cape. The hotel is at 48 Roeland Street, corner Roeland and Buitenkant Street, opposite a Roeland liquor store and a Roeland book shop. The hotel offers 23 bedrooms and accommodate 40 guest, a large sunset balcony, and a chance to "drink a beer at the counter where eager diamonds ordered their beers more than a hundred years ago."
Western cape archives and records service.
figure 3 : Western cape archives and records service; photo by Lukanyo Tshitshi.
The Roeland Street Prison, also known as the Western Cape Archives and Records Service, is located on Roeland Street, opposite Harold Cressy High School, on the left side of the street. In the mid-1800s, the building was constructed to keep perpetrators out, but with new development in the city and the new construction of Pollsmoor Prison, it was no longer in use as a prison. Today, it is used to keep records of the western Cape.
It is regarded as a place of exploration; it is a place for individuals with a constant hunger for knowledge who love exploring, investigating old societies, and learning fascinating facts about the world we live in.
There are lots of historical artifacts and records you can find inside the building, including maps, the history of the Cape, manuscripts dating back centuries, and marriage records.
Anthony Shapiro studio.
figure 4 : Anthony Shapiro studio; photo by Lukanyo Tshitshi.
A large and bright studio situated on the right side of the street at Roeland Street, in the heart of Cape Town. The studio is named after an award-winning potter, Mr. Anthony Shapiro. Anthony began making pottery when he was 13 years old, and he is now recognised as one of South Africa's premier potters. He has helped to grow and intensify the public’s interest in pottery as a form of art. His pottery pieces are found in galleries, shops, and homes throughout South Africa and worldwide and are recognisable by their simple, iconic form and exquisite colours and glazes.
The studio is a full-service educational facility that provides pottery training in both hand-building and wheel-working techniques. Anyone who is drawn to clay creation will find it to be the ideal setting. The award-winning potters Bongani Zuma, Zelda Webba, and Anthony Shapiro teach lessons at the studio for those who are interested in art and working with their hands.
Roeland liquors.
figure 5 : Roeland liquors; photo by Lukanyo Tshitshi.
Roeland Liquors is located on Roeland Street opposite the Kimberley Hotel on the right side of 65 Roeland Street, next to Anthony Shapiro Studio, and is well-known across Cape Town for its brews. It is one of the few beer venues on Roeland Street and offers a variety of international brands of wine as well as South African indigenous beers.
It is a corner for all beer lovers on Roeland Street; it “specializes in selling great-value wines and craft beers”, as well as single malt whiskey selections from across the world.
St. Mary Cathedral church.
figure 6 : St. Mary Cathedral Church; photo by Lukanyo Tshitshi.
St. Mary's Cathedral Church, also known as the cathedral of Saint Mary of the Flight into Egypt, is the cathedral archdiocese of Cape Town. It is situated on the eastern side of the city, close to the parliament buildings, on the right side of Roeland Street, at the intersection of three major streets that connect Cape Town to its outlying suburbs: St. Johns Street, Roeland Street, and Plain Street.
In August 1840, the building of St. Mary's Cathedral got under way. The church sold the land on which its Harrington Street chapel stood to raise money for the construction of the church, which was built by James Begley, a member of the congregation. There were donations from other Catholic churches, and the congregation was encouraged to give freely. It is believed to be the oldest cathedral in South Africa and the country's first tabernacle deserving of Christ, having opened its doors on the 28th of April 1851.
The church has had an intimate involvement with the history and growth of the Roman Catholic Church in Southern Africa over a course of more than 200 years.
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