1650's Irrigation Canals, Cape Town, South Africa
S 33° 55.615 E 018° 25.077
34H E 261318 N 6242944
These ancient irrigation canals were constructed in the 1650's to bring water into Cape Town to serve The Company's Gardens.
Waymark Code: WMJ742
Location: Western Cape, South Africa
Date Posted: 10/04/2013
Views: 4
The Dutch East India Company originally created the garden in 1652 for the purpose of producing fresh fruit and vegetables to supply their ships that were sailing the spice trade route between the East Indies and Europe, via the Cape of Good Hope. Part of the work done to create the gardens included an enormous construction project that created irrigation canals to bring fresh water from Table Mountain into Cape Town. These canals can be seen today throughout the Company Gardens, on Adderly Street. The canals can easily be seen near the President's Residence.
Interestingly, the many canals throughout Cape Town also determined the alignment of the original roads throughout the area; this grid pattern of road persists today.
SOURCE:
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visit link)
(refer to walking tour section 1, #3)