Description

Essentials about Greenmarket Square in brief

Greenmarket Square is – if you will – the heart of the center of Cape Town and undoubtedly the most beautiful square in the city. Cobblestone streets, historic buildings from different eras, countless cafes and restaurants around the square, and a lively flea market in the square itself make Greenmarket Square a well-visited daily destination for tourists and locals alike.

The market on Greenmarket Square

Greenmarket Square is considered the second oldest market in the city and was used as early as the end of the 16th century as a vegetable market, selling produce grown in the neighboring Company’s Garden and surrounding farms. Quickly, other merchants found their way in and sadly, slaves were also traded here. Today, Greenmarket Square hosts a somewhat different market. Traders from all over Africa sell mainly textiles and handicraft products such as wood carvings, paintings and jewelry. By the way, the prices at the market are a bit better than at the traders in the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. But prices are always a matter of negotiation in Africa anyway.

The history of Greenmarket Square

Over the years, Greenmarket Square also developed into the administrative center of Cape Town. In 1696, a so-called “burgher watch house” was built (a kind of police station). In 1761 it was demolished and replaced by the Old Town Hall, which can still be seen today, but is now used as an art gallery. By the mid-19th century, almost all of the original one-story buildings on the square had been replaced by taller structures. In 1879, the construction of the Central Metropolitan Church was added. In the early 20th century, Greenmarket Square lost its historic significance with the relocation of the City Hall and the Market. In the 1930s, the face of the square changed once again with the construction of some beautiful Art Deco buildings.

From the 1950s to the late 1980s, Greenmarket Square served as a parking lot. Fortunately, the city government decided to reuse the square according to its original purpose as a market. Since then, the “African” flea market has existed. In 1989, Greenmarket Square also regained political importance as the center of the so-called Purple Rain protests against apartheid.

The sights around Greenmarket Square

Today, Greenmarket Square is not only a beautiful square and an interesting market, but also a perfect starting point for exploring downtown Cape Town due to its central location. Streets and alleys lead off from the square in all directions, most of which are now pedestrian zones, allowing for a leisurely stroll through the city center.

Many of the city’s attractions, such as the Castle of Good Hope, the Company’s Garden and the city’s many museums, are also just a stone’s throw from Greenmarket Square. And Long Street, Cape Town’s party mile, with its dozens of bars and clubs, can also be reached within a very short time from the square.

Website

Unavailable.

Opening hours

Opening hours of the market:

Admission fees

None.

Address

Getting there

By public transport:

Bus line 101: Stop Longmarket

Bus line 107: Stop Groote Kerk

By car:

The nearest parking garage is The Decks Parking.