Lighthouse at the Cape of Good Hope. Cape of Good Hope - who discovered it, where it is located. Bartolomeo Dias: the one who discovered the Cape of Good Hope

Cape Good Hope(South Africa) - detailed description, location, reviews, photos and videos.

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The Cape of Good Hope represented the hopes of the Portuguese who were looking for a route to India in the 15th century. It was originally called the Cape of Storms, but King John II was superstitious and therefore decided to rename this point on the Cape Peninsula. Today the Cape of Good Hope is one of the important strategic sites of the African continent. He once helped ships get from Europe to Far East, now remains popular for its scenery, which attracts millions of tourists.

How to get there

You can get to the Cape of Good Hope, located on the Cape Peninsula, from Cape Town. The journey by car will take about four hours. Time will pass unnoticed, because along the way you will encounter a very beautiful area: a savannah where ostriches, antelopes, baboons and other animals roam, mountains, a nature reserve.

The Cape of Good Hope is the most southwestern point of Africa. It is impossible to make a mistake, since this fact is confirmed by both scientists and an inscription with exact coordinates installed on the site in front of the cape. But the Cape Peninsula at this point reaches its southernmost point and, going to the north, ends with Cape Point.

Reserve

The road to the Cape of Good Hope inevitably leads through the reserve of the same name. It is characterized by lush vegetation, which interferes with movement if traveling on foot. The highest density of plants is on the Cape Peninsula. It is almost impossible to get through here; you need a car. The area of the reserve is more than 7 thousand hectares. There are plants here that cannot be found in other places. globe.

The vegetation and fauna of the reserve match its uniqueness in the fact that penguins live here next to monkeys, cheetahs and antelopes. Yes, yes, it’s the penguins that we are used to seeing only in the coldest parts of the planet. The fact is that they were able to swim to Africa from Antarctica and settled here.

Previously, penguins felt almost like the owners of the reserve and calmly went to their neighbors in search of food. But then, apparently, when other animals got tired of such anarchy, penguins received a separate territory. It's called Boulders Beach.

The reserve is open every day, seven days a week. In summer it receives guests until 18:00, and in winter - until 17:00 local time.

Cape of Good Hope and surroundings

Beaches

The Cape of Good Hope has beaches where you can relax and sunbathe. People come here both in large groups and with the whole family. There are even places on the beach where lovers can retire and hide from prying eyes.

The swimming season usually lasts from September to May. During this period, the weather is sunny, so you can safely go here to get a tan. On other days there is nothing special to catch on the beach.

Lighthouse

The lighthouse is one of the main attractions of the Cape of Good Hope. It was built in 1860 and its height is 240 meters above sea level. It is the tallest lighthouse in South Africa. Unfortunately, it does not work, because one day it could not help the Portuguese ship - the lighthouse was covered with clouds, and the ship, which did not see the signal, landed on the rocks.

But at the lighthouse at an altitude of 200 meters there is an observation deck. You can climb it on foot or by cable car. Next to the lighthouse there is a restaurant and a souvenir shop.

The site offers a wonderful view of two oceans at once: the Indian and the Atlantic. The waters of these oceans wash both sides of the cape. If you look closely, you can see that the oceans are different in color. The waves run very quickly onto the rocks and break against them, leaving traces of white foam.

Excursions

Typically, excursions to the Cape of Good Hope include a visit to the reserve, as well as the shore with a penguin haven. We'll tell you about a few more places that are worth seeing. On the coast of False Bay, or “False Bay,” a winding road is laid through the mountains. Along it you can get to the town of Simon's Town, where the British Royal Navy was previously based.

The coast of the Cape of Good Hope itself has its own characteristics. For example, on the western side the climate is milder, there are beaches, sandy shores, and an atmosphere of peace and tranquility. In the east it is warmer, but strong winds blow, which make it difficult to swim and enjoy the scenery. On this part of the coast, not everyone takes the risk of swimming; tourists prefer to just sit on the shore and breathe the ocean air.

The island of fur seals is of great interest to travelers. Its area of only 4 square kilometers is small for an island, and it has a turbulent history dating back to the 17th century. The fact is that for three centuries there was a prison here, military base and a hospital. And it was on this island that freedom fighter and future South African President Nelson Mandela served his sentence. In 1999, the island became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A museum has opened here, telling about the history of the country. Tourists can visit the prison yard and cells.

The Cape of Good Hope is the most extreme point southwestern Africa. It is located on the Cape Peninsula and is washed on two opposite sides by the waters of the Indian and Atlantic oceans. Many people say that in calm weather you can see how the two parts of the body of water differ in color.

In ancient times, due to big waves and constant winds, the rocky cliff was called the Cape of Storms; later King Juan II renamed it the Cape of Good Hope. He truly was the hope of the Portuguese navigators who were heading to India. Today this is reminded by the largest lighthouse in South Africa (240 m above sea level), built in 1860.

In the vicinity of the rocky coast there is a reserve of the same name. Due to the vegetation, it is almost impossible to get there by car.

There are beaches on the cape where you can relax and sunbathe.

Sasha Mitrakhovich 06.04.2016 08:52

Cape of Good Hope(Cape of Good Hope) is famous for having long been considered most southern point Africa. Then they calculated that the southernmost point of the continent is Cape Agulhas, located one and a half hundred miles to the southeast from the Cape of Good Hope.

But no one knows Cape Agulhas, and the Cape of Good Hope is included in all school geography textbooks; it is associated with the era of the Great Geographical Discoveries, this is what hundreds of thousands of tourists and travelers from all over the world strive to see.

Sasha Mitrakhovich 06.04.2016 08:56

It is known that the first European saw this african cape Good Hope in 1488 by Bartolomeo Dias, the famous Portuguese commander of the era of the Great Geographical Discoveries.

The expedition of Bartolomeo Dias was given the task of finding a sea route to India around Africa. Dias did not reach India, but became the first European to circumnavigate Africa from the south. Indirectly, he was helped in this by the terrible storms that battered his ships for several days. When the storms subsided, the disorientated Dias headed north and on February 3, 1488 ran into the coast, which “turned” to the northeast.

And so the way to the Indian Ocean was opened. Dias was forced to give in to the demands of the rebellious team and did not go further. On the way back, he saw this cape protruding into the sea, which he called the Cape of Storms, because severe storms were constantly raging in this place.

Dias announced this “working” name upon his return to Portugal in his report to King João II. But His Majesty was wise and far-sighted. He decided that it was not good to leave such a harsh name for the turning point, beyond which a direct sea route to India opened. And he suggested calling this place the Cape of Good Hope. Or in Portuguese Cabo de Boa Esperanca.

The cape lived up to its name. In 1497, Vasco da Gama's expedition rounded the Cape of Good Hope and finally reached the treasured shores of India!

Sasha Mitrakhovich 06.04.2016 09:01

Today it is the territory of the Cape Province of the Republic of South Africa. Nearest Big city Cape Town. The Cape of Good Hope itself is the national pride and tourist attraction of South Africa. It is organically integrated into the national park or reserve with the same name “Cape of Good Hope” or in English “Cape of Good Hope”.

As already mentioned, the Cape of Good Hope is not only not the southernmost, but also not the most southwestern point of Africa. The most southwestern point is the completely inconspicuous ledge of Cape Point, located fifty meters to the north. And it is on it that a lighthouse with the name “Cape of Good Hope” is installed. And an observation deck from where all tourists take their memorable photos.

And at the Cape of Good Hope there is a shield with the name and exact coordinates and the inscription “the most southwestern point of Africa.”

Location of the Cape of Good Hope on the World Map:

Sasha Mitrakhovich 06.04.2016 09:04

Excursions to the Cape of Good Hope

The island of fur seals is of great interest to travelers. Its area of only 4 square kilometers is small for an island, and it has a turbulent history dating back to the 17th century. The fact is that for three centuries there was a prison, a military base and a hospital. And it was on this island that freedom fighter and future South African President Nelson Mandela served his sentence. In 1999, the island became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A museum has opened here, telling about the history of the country. Tourists can visit the prison yard and cells.

You can get to the island by ferry, which leaves Waterfront every day until 15:00. On average, the excursion lasts 3.5-4 hours.

Sasha Mitrakhovich 06.04.2016 09:25

The Cape of Good Hope is located in the Cape Peninsula to the south, one of the most major cities South Africa. Once upon a time it had the name Cape of Storms and this is quite justified. After all, strong currents, storms, winds and fog are inseparable companions of this place, and icebergs often float here; all this in different time led to the death of a dozen ships.

Why was it called the Cape of Good Hope?

The navigator who discovered the Cape of Good Hope in Africa was named Bartolomeu Dias; on the orders of the Portuguese king, he went in search of a sea route to India around Africa. Another storm confused the explorer's plans, and he lost his bearings, so, trusting his intuition, he went north, where he met the cape, giving it the name of the cause of his disaster. The ship was too damaged and the crew mutinied, so even after seeing the beginning of the journey to the Indian Ocean, Dias was forced to turn back. In 1497, Vasco da Gama was sent to pave the way to the Indian coast, and since his journey was fueled not only by responsibility, but also by hope, the cape was immediately renamed the Cape of Good Hope.

Holidays on the Cape

On this moment Cape of Good Hope - one of the most famous national parks peace. This is the place where the Atlantic and Indian oceans connect, so this is the point on the globe where you can visit two different oceans at the same time.

The Cape of Good Hope is located in the south of the Cape Peninsula, near Cape Point, at the foot of which it originates, where the water is much warmer than other water basins in the area. The bay water is heated by warm currents Indian Ocean. Therefore, the beaches near the cape are always filled with people.

In addition, not far from the cape there is National Park"", which captivates with its flora and fauna; many amazing animals live there - from monkeys to penguins.

How to get there?

For a very long time, the Cape of Good Hope was considered the southern point of Africa, so finding it on the world map is quite simple, because this information is captured in the form of exact coordinates on a sign installed on the site in front of the cape. There is a city near the Cape of Good Hope

There are many places in the world worthy of attention and visits. Among them there are so amazing and legendary that the flow of travelers there from all over the Earth has not dried up for centuries. South coast Africa, washed by two currents at once, is one of these places, but everything is in order.

Where is the Cape of Good Hope

Without any reservations, southern Africa can be called a “land of wonders”. Agree, it’s hard to imagine any other place on Earth where fur seals and penguins feel great together with baboons and cheetahs! And all this is due to the fact that from the South the “Dark Continent” is washed by two ocean currents at once: one cold and one warm. The cold Benguela Current from the western side dries out a vast territory - Namibia, and the warm Agulhas Current makes the eastern part of Southern Africa a flourishing and multi-colored region. In the middle is the famous one, which for a long time was considered the southernmost point of the continent, until meticulous geographers found out that the neighboring Cape Agulhas is several kilometers “further south”.

The place where two oceans meet - the Atlantic and the Indian - attracts tourists with its uniqueness and beauty. On the surface of the water, the border between the oceans almost always appears; two currents stubbornly try to overcome each other. The difference in water temperature in the currents leads to constant fog, cloudiness, rough seas and strong winds. High rocky shores allow you to enjoy the amazing and grandiose landscape. Penguins and fur seals, who settled here a long time ago, feel great, having forgotten about their native Antarctica. Reserve Cape of Good Hope provides a safe and comfortable existence for animals and birds exotic to the African continent. Penguins are protected from cheetahs, or vice versa, because these birds are not at all friendly and peaceful. All these natural beauty frame the main object - the Cape of Good Hope.

Cape of Good Hope - photo

Story

No one knows how many swear words were addressed to this place, disastrous for sailors, throughout the history of navigation. Judging by the efforts brave sailors and pioneers had to make to overcome this cacophony of ocean currents, a lot... A few ancient sources provide very scanty information about the southern tip of Africa, but... they do! Today we can say with confidence that the Egyptians were the first to sail here 500 years before the birth of Christ. The tireless and very active Pharaoh Necho II hired the brave Phoenicians to find a workaround to Europe to deliver Egyptian goods (by this time Egypt had ceased to be the strongest power, and economic interests were still a priority at that time!). The Phoenicians went to look for the place where Africa ends with east side. The voyage took about three years. Twice the sailors had to stop to grow something edible for themselves because supplies were running low. they probably went around (due to the passage of time it is impossible to say more precisely), since the documents contain a mention that the discouraged sailors noticed that at some point “the sun turned out to be on the north side,” which means they nevertheless crossed the equator. Having returned to Egypt and reporting their impressions of the voyage, the Phoenicians went about their usual trading affairs. The pharaoh also abandoned his idea, since Africa turned out to be too vast to use the roundabout route for trade. In other words, costs exceeded revenues. For the next two thousand years, no one sailed here from Europe. African penguins calmly basked in the sun and dived into one ocean or another for fish. Idyll.

Who discovered the Cape of Good Hope

By the end of the 15th century, Europe realized that it “had to go” to the sea. Vast Muslim lands tightly covered the entire Western world from spices, silks, precious stones and other pleasant and expensive luxuries. Relations with the followers of the teachings of Muhammad did not give any hope for improving relations and normalizing trade. Numerous crusades turned Muslims away from “friendship” with Christians for a long time. The first to rush desperately into the sea to meet India were the Portuguese. By order of King Juan II, he was sent to look for a way around the known routes to the country of elephants. With great difficulty, overcoming currents and the unfriendly attitude of Africans towards uninvited travelers, his squadron managed to reach Cape of Good Hope. However, in those days this cape did not have any name at all, and Bartolomeo Dias himself called it the Cape of Storms, since the Portuguese suffered through the roof here. Having sailed a little more, the expedition was forced to return home. The sailors refused to continue the journey, which had no end or edge, and it seemed that nature itself opposed their advance to the East.

The beginning, despite some incompleteness of the expedition, had been made. After listening to Dias' report, the king was satisfied with the "intelligence." One thing he didn’t like was the name of the treacherous cape. The monarch seriously feared that no one would want to go to India through such difficult and dangerous lands. It was decided to change the name to “Good Hope”. There was a hope for a successful completion of the expedition to India. No sooner said than done. And a few years later he noted in the ship’s log that after long and skillful maneuvers, his ship passed the Cape of Good Hope. The name really brought good luck to the Portuguese, and Gama, as you know, visited India.

Flying Dutchman

Perhaps this is the most important legend Cape of Good Hope. The legend has many variants, the names of the characters are given differently, but on the main thing they all agree - the captain of a Dutch ship was cursed here. It was like this... There was no more vile person in the world than Captain Van Stratten. Foul-mouthed and blasphemous. They said that he was on friendly terms with the devil himself. The captain never let go of the whip with lead plaques at the end. This whip walked over the backs of the sailors continuously. Van Stratten transported spices and African slaves in the holds of the ship. The unfortunate Africans died in dozens, so the ship of the terrible captain was constantly accompanied by well-fed and satisfied sharks, which the captain himself affectionately called “my little fish.” Once, when Van Stratten's ship found itself off the Cape of Good Hope in a storm, the sailors tried to persuade the captain to return back to wait out the bad weather. The captain, as usual, swore badly, added a couple of terrible blasphemies and swore that he would not retreat even if the end of the World came. At that moment, a thunderous voice opened the heavens: “You said it! Now swim!” Since then, the ship of Captain Stratten can be found off the southernmost cape of Africa. Restless and doomed to eternal swimming, he plows the oceans. The blasphemer himself and his crew, sentenced to immortality, are unable to land on shore. When meeting with other ships, they try to convey the news to their relatives and friends, who have long been in better world. Woe to the one who takes a letter from them - the curse will pass on to the compassionate assistant.

This legend, in different variations and in detail, is told by all the guides on Cape of Good Hope. And tourists eagerly peer into the horizon in the hope of seeing the tops of the Flying Dutchman's masts. To make it more convenient to watch, there are now many convenient observation platforms, hiking trails. In nearby restaurants, local aborigines sing and dance for visitors to the southern outskirts of Africa who are hungry for all sorts of exotic things. And the penguins on the coast walk around with such an important air, as if they know exactly everything about the “Flying Dutchman”, but never tell anyone about him. Intriguing.

Cape of Good Hope on the map, panorama

The Cape of Good Hope is known to many travel enthusiasts beautiful nature, warm climate and Russian-speaking guides who will show and tell all the features of this place.

Not everyone knows, although tour guides often mention it, but it was here that she was born. famous legend about the Flying Dutchman. Thanks to films, this legend is indirectly known to many, but its essence has never been revealed, as well as the places where it appeared. Many are also surprised to hear it, they say, what about Captain Davy Jones? Isn't it the Island of the Cross? No, it’s the Cape of Good Hope, and not Captain Jones, although the name of the historical figure is controversial.

A pinch of history

The name of the cape was also interesting story. It was discovered by Bartolomeu Dias, a Portuguese navigator, who called it the Cape of Storms because the cape was often subject to severe storms. As can be seen from history, it did not immediately become the Cape of Good Hope; it was renamed by King Juan II when his ships plied the expanses of its waters. The king’s hope was justified, Portugal opened a sea route to India, and the cape forever remained the “Good Hope”.

Historical legends

Known in history sailing ship"The Flying Dutchman", but the name of its captain is controversial. In one of the myths, the captain was the Dutchman Philip Van der Decken (and according to another version of the story, Van Straaten), in 1700, his ship sailed from the East Indies, carrying a married couple on board. He desired the unfortunate lady, the captain got rid of her husband, and invited her to marry, but the girl could not imagine herself in the hands of her lover’s killer, so she jumped overboard.

While trying to go around the cape, the ship was caught in a severe storm, but despite the crew’s plea to wait it out in the nearest bay, the angry captain decided on a desperate act. Defying all the gods, he led the ship through the storm, dooming himself and the entire crew to certain death. Vowing that not a single soul would come ashore, he signed his own death sentence. Now the ship is forced to wander, trying again and again to go around the cape. However, according to one version, the captain can still lift the curse, which he himself caused. Once every 10 years, he is supposed to step ashore and find a wife who will voluntarily agree to marry the damned captain. Another version says that the “Flying Dutchman” and everyone on board can be freed by some magic word, but who knows or keeps it is the unknown secret of the seven seas.

Another version of the legend

The Dutch captain swore that he would sell his soul if he rounded the cape unharmed. He made the mistake of not specifying that he only needed to do this once, and the Devil played a cruel joke on him. Now the captain and his crew go around the cape over and over again unharmed.

In a strong storm, the ship could not go around the Cape of Good Hope (in another version, it was Cape Horn). The team asked to turn back, but Van Straaten said that he would swim until he reached his goal. In response to the angry speeches, a voice boomed from the sky: “So be it - sail at least until the second coming.”

In those days, terrible diseases were rampant, and one of them overtook the Flying Dutchman; not a single port agreed to accept such a ship, for fear of infection. The Dutchman sailed from port to port for a long time while members of his crew died. Having never found help, the ship continues to wander, spreading terror and bringing misfortune to other ships.

There are incredibly many versions. Another one says that the “Dutchman” met the ghost ship “Kenara”, but having defeated it, he took upon himself the curse of the pirate ship. According to other stories, the captain was in such a hurry to get home that he did not help a sinking ship encountered at sea, for which he was cursed according to all maritime laws.