Between 1930 and 1940, this area of land was reclaimed from the sea, extending Cape Town City 2 km farther into the Bay. The International Convention Centre (CTICC) and a number of well-known hotel chains, whose structures obscure the city’s entrance from the N2, virtually dominate Cape Town’s foreshore, which is located on the waterways of Table Bay, next to the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront with the city centre behind it.
The foreshore of Cape Town is leading development in the city, and a number of significant corporate and financial institutions are relocating here to join the ranks of the Convention Centre, which opened in late 1999 and successfully hosted nearly 13 000 delegates for one of the congresses in 2006 without incident. As Cape Town continues to be a popular travel destination, more international conferences are being held there.
Fountains and statues are scattered throughout Heerengracht Street. A notable landmark is a memorial to South African soldiers who died in both world wars, as well as statues of Jan van Riebeek and his wife Maria and the Portuguese explorer Bartholomew Diaz.
Excellent access may be made to the Mother City’s centre from the foreshore. One can choose to walk to the V&A Waterfront, where a number of tour buses run throughout the city, or to the city centre, where a variety of historical structures, an eclectic mingling of cultures, restaurants, and unexpected little alleys make for an enjoyable day or two of exploring.
