Cape Town City Hall

The Cape Town city hall is an Edwardian-style building with an impressive clock tower. It was built from honey-coloured limestone that was imported from Bath, England and similar in design to clock-towered buildings built throughout the British Empire. The mayor of Cape Town, Thomas Ball, laid the cornerstone on 29 August 1900, and the building was completed in 1905. The design was conceived by  Harry Austin Reid and Frederick George Green of Johannesburg. They won a public competition for the design. The contractors for the construction were T. Howard and F. G. Scott. The building is recognised for its Italian Renaissance style. The Building’s Tower houses a clock with several bells modelled on London’s Big Ben, and the faces of the clocks were made from iron filled with opal, most likely mined in Australia.  The magnificent organ in the main chamber has 3165 pipes and is world-renowned for the quality of its workmanship and the beauty of its sound. Concerts with the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra are regularly held here..

The Attic Exhibition

This features the Civic Collection Exhibition, which showcases a diverse array of historical artefacts that reflect the rich heritage of Cape Town. This exhibition is curated by the Arts and Culture Branch and aims to provide insight into the city’s history through various movable heritage assets..

Darling Street, Cape Town, South Africa,

Updated December 2025

You may also be interested in  The Company’s Gardens and Table Mountain Cableway