Situated above the University of Cape Town on the slopes of Devils Peak within the Table Mountain National Park, Rhodes Memorial was built in remembrance of Cecil John Rhodes (1853 -1902) a statesman of enormous wealth who had a great influence in Southern Africa in the late 19th/early 20th century.
Designed by Sir Herbert Baker and Sir Frances Macey, the memorial is built out of Table Mountain granite in the classical style. It was completed in 1912. Forty nine stairs, each representing one year of Rhodes’ life, lead up to a rectangular U shaped monument made up of large pillars.
At the base of the stairs, a large bronze statue of a horseman by George Frederick Watts, looks out over the Cape Flats and towards the Hottentots Holland Mountains in the distance.
Flanking the staircase are 8 large statues of lions, created by John Macallan Swan. At the top of the staircase is a bronze bust of Cecil John Rhodes, also by Swan.
The monument has great views over the city. Behind the monument is a quaint restaurant, popular for its unique position, open for breakfast and lunches. The restaurant is housed in the original stone cottages built in 1910 – 1912.
A short steep walk up from the memorial will get you to the King’s blockhouse, a ruined blockhouse, built by the British in 1796 as a defensive lookout, providing warning of ships entering False Bay. From here you can walk along a contour path to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens (about a 4 hour walk.)
The memorial is closed from sunset to sunrise.
