Rust-en-Vrede Gallery
Rust en Vrede. Photo courtesy Damien du Toit
The artworks of established and emerging artists jostle for visitors’ attention at Cape Town’s Rust-en-Vrede Art Gallery in Durbanville. Rust-en-Vrede was built in the 1840s to serve as a prison and police headquarters. The building was also used as a magistrate’s court and in 1901, when Durbanville became a municipality, early council meetings were also held there.
In 1927 the building was sold to clockmaker Robert John Meneely, who converted it into four semi-detached houses: The Oaks, Ingle Nook, My Vreugd and The Retreat. The municipality purchased the property from the Meneely estate in 1978 and restoration of the building started soon afterwards. In 1981, the Durbanville Cultural Society was established. The society, together with the council, was given permission to run the building as an arts and culture centre.
There are currently three exhibition spaces at Rust-en-Vrede. The main gallery comprises Salon A and Salon B. Salon C, in the entrance room, is used for small solo or group exhibitions.
The gallery complex also houses a clay museum, various art studios and the Gallery Café. The clay museum offers 90 small ceramic pieces by various potters, which may be bought by visitors as souvenirs.
The Gallery Café specialises in light meals with a Mediterranean flair, served in the dappled shade of the courtyard during summer or in front of a log fire in winter. Meals are accompanied by wines from the Durbanville wine route, which may be tasted before purchase. As seating is limited, booking is essential. To book, call +27 (0)21 975 7949.
The gallery is open from Mondays to Fridays from 09h00-17h00 and on Saturdays from 09h00-13h00. Exhibitions change monthly and are free to the public.
- Phone: +27 (0)21 976 4691
- Email: rustenvrede at telkomsa dot net
- Website: http://www.rust-en-vrede.com
- Physical Address: 10 Wellington Road, Durbanville
Walking in Cape Town
Many visitors want to explore nature on higher ground as soon as they arrive in Cape Town and with Lion’s Head and Table Mountain beckoning, many do get to experience the local flora and fauna on foot. However, the entire peninsula can be enjoyed by avid walkers. From Blouberg Beach, with its picture perfect views from its sandy shores, to the more adventurous guided Hoerikwaggo Trails along the spine of Table Mountain, visitors have an expanse of ground to cover.
Castle Military Museum
The Castle Military Museum is housed in the oldest building in South Africa, the Castle of Good Hope, which was declared a national monument in 1936.
The Castle Military Museum is a tribute to the brave regiments of the past, providing an insight into the political history of the country and celebrating the rich military history of the Cape. Then Minister of Defence Joe Modise officially opened the Castle Military Museum on August 1, 1995.
South African Rugby Museum
Cape Town sport enthusiasts are lucky enough to live in the city that is home to the South African Rugby Museum. Located just a drop kick away from the Newlands Rugby Stadium in the Southern Suburbs of Cape Town, home of the Stormers, the South African Rugby Museum is a full of tokens, collector’s items, memorabilia and history of one of the country’s most watched sports.
Historic buildings and architecture in Cape Town
As the oldest city in South Africa, Cape Town boasts a number of historical buildings, many of which are still in use today and open to visitors. The city’s architecture is a testament to the many varying influences in South Africa’s unique history.
Art galleries in Cape Town
More than 100 art galleries – as diverse as the colours daubed on an artist’s palette – await discovery in and around Cape Town.
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