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Bo-Kaap today
A neighbourhood people call home
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Bo-Kaap is a living neighbourhood as well as a place of heritage. Its houses and mosques belong to people who live and work here now.
Heritage and the pressure to stay
The South African Heritage Resources Agency records threats from commercial development and gentrification alongside its work to protect Bo-Kaap sites. A neighbourhood can be admired for its character while the conditions that keep its community there come under pressure.
National heritage sites in Bo-Kaap
SAHRA’s declaration of national heritage sites in Bo-Kaap protects the area’s architecture and its cultural history. A protected building and a secure future for the people around it are two different things.
Be a considerate guest
Book a local guide when possible, support neighbourhood businesses and ask before photographing people or private spaces. A doorway or stoep is not a public viewing platform. Keep groups small enough to move without blocking pavements, and leave space around mosque entrances.
From the page to the place
Plan a visit
Bo-Kaap Museum
71 Wale Street, Bo-Kaap
The Bo-Kaap Museum uses a historic house to introduce life in the neighbourhood. It is a useful starting point before walking the surrounding streets because it gives the houses and domestic spaces a social context. The visit rewards attention to ordinary household details, which can tell you as much about a community as a large public monument.
Visiting detailsConfirm access and opening times before setting out.