Simon\' S Town

Simon' S Town (also known under the name of Simonstown and, in Afrikaans, of Simonstad ), is a Ville and a naval base in South Africa, installed on banks of False Bay, in the south-east of the Cape at the edge of the Indian Ocean, in the province of the Cape-Westerner.

History

Initially baptized Simon' S Vlek (Bay of Simon), his name refers to Simon van der Stel, governor of the colony of 1679 with 1697 which in 1687 indicated the site to make a port of it. Following many shipwrecks in bay of the Mountain of the Table, the Compagnie Dutchwoman of the Eastern Indies indicated Simonstown in 1741 like principal port August and May to accost in South Africa.

It is starting from the British occupation of the colony in 1806 that the port of Simonstown took nevertheless all its military and strategic importance. During two centuries, the city was thus an important naval base initially of Royal British Navy then South-African navy. During the Second world war, the naval base was used as wearing of refuge for the allied ships although 125 ships were run with broad by the German and Japanese submarines. It is in 1957 that the naval base was reassigned with the South-African navy.

Municipal administration

Since 2000, Simon' S Town belongs to the municipality of the Cape whose mayor is Helen Zille (democratic Alliance) since 2006.

Tourism

Simon' S Town is also a small holiday and commercial port as well as a Seaside resort and tourist. The beach of Boulders Beach accommodates since 1985 a wild colony of penguins of the Cape.

On the place of the jubilee draws up the Whitebait statue Seaman " Just Nuisance" , the only dog of the history to be officially enlisted in the marine British and resident of Simonstown.

The city presents many houses victoriennes or colonial monuments like the house of admiralty (1814) and the vault Wesleyan (1828), the hospital of the Compagnie Dutchwoman of the Eastern Indies (1764) as well as museums of which the naval museum of South Africa.

External bonds

Site of Simonstown
Architecture of Simonstown
History of Simonstown
past of Simonstown in image

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