Description

Essentials about Grand Parade in brief

Grand Parade is, so to speak, the main square in the center of Cape Town and, along with Greenmarket Square, which is only a short distance away, the most important square in the city. It is surrounded by the Central Station, the Castle of Good Hope and the City Hall of Cape Town.

The history of Grand Parade

The Grand Parade has had a very eventful history. Once it was a drill ground for soldiers, but also an inglorious place of public executions and floggings of slaves. The square became world famous in 1990, when Nelson Mandela held his first speech after his release from prison from the balcony of City Hall in front of about 100,000 people.

The market on Grand Parade

Nowadays, Grand Parade is used as a marketplace. On Wednesdays and Saturdays there is a colorful hustle and bustle here. Similar to Greenmarket Square, a wide variety of goods are offered here, from clothing to handicrafts to books. On the other days of the week, the square is used as a parking lot. Across from City Hall, a marble statue of King Edward VII, the successor to Britain’s Queen Victoria, stands in the square.

Website

Unavailable.

Opening hours

None.

Admission fees

None.

Address

Getting there

By public transport:

Bus lines 102 and 103: Stop Darling

Bus line 261: Stop Castle

By car:

The Grand Parade is a parking lot on all weekdays except Wednesday and Saturday.