Mamre Moravian Mission Station

Colourful residents of Mamre. Photo © Cape Town Tourism

Mamre was founded in the 16th century when the governor of the Cape, Willem Adriaan van der Stel, established a military and cattle post in the region, to prevent settlers’ cattle being stolen by the local KhoiKhoi.

In 1808 the governor of the Cape, Lord Caledon, welcomed the establishment of a mission by Kohrhammer and Schmidt, two Moravian missionaries from Germany.

In 1967 the double-ended church and parsonage in Main Road, Mamre, were declared national monuments. The original water mill has been lovingly restored and is today used as a museum.

Hottentot “hartbeeshuisies” (reed houses) with stark whitewashed walls were built by local inhabitants who attended the mission in the early days. A variety of fruit trees planted on the site remain as a testament to the German missionaries.

The Cape West Coast has eight other mission stations which grew over time to become villages. These are: Wittewater, Goedverwacht, Elandskloof, Wupperthal, Vergenoeg, Papendorp-Ebenhaezer, Vanrhynsdorp and Rietpoort.

Mamre is situated between Darling and Atlantis on the R307, within an hour’s drive of Cape Town.