Top of Longmarket Street, Bo-Kaap

Tana Baru cemetery

Tana Baru cemetery above the city.

Open in Google Maps ↗

Why this place

Tana Baru holds the graves of scholars including Tuan Guru and Abu Bakr Effendi, as well as the memory of resistance to the cemetery’s closure. These histories make it an important companion to a visit to Auwal Masjid. The slope above Bo-Kaap gives a sense of the neighbourhood’s setting, but approach first as someone entering a burial ground.

Wear shoes suitable for sloping, uneven ground and bring water. Confirm access before walking up, particularly if anyone in your group has limited mobility. Move carefully around graves and give other visitors room for private reflection. A local heritage guide can help connect the cemetery with the lives and events discussed in the chapters.

Usual public access is weekends from noon to 2pm. Salaam’s Cape Town may be able to arrange special access; enquire before making plans.

Official visitor information ↗

Read Afrikaans, written in Arabic

Read The cemetery uprising

Plan your visit

Area
Top of Longmarket Street, Bo-Kaap
Plan ahead
Usual public access is weekends from noon to 2pm. Salaam’s Cape Town may be able to arrange special access; enquire before making plans.
Allow
45 minutes