Besides its breathtaking natural beauty and mild climate, Cape Town also boasts a rich and diverse cultural landscape that offers visitors and residents a fascinating glimpse into the city’s past. According to a recent survey, besides its numerous theatres and museums, there are also 283 memorials, sculptures and monuments randomly scattered throughout the metropole, all of which are under the City’s care.

These cultural and artistic artefacts include those erected under British rule (the second half of the 19th century); those erected after the Anglo Boer war (the first half of the 20th century); an-enactment of the Great Trek (1938); the Tercentenary Celebrations of the arrival of the Dutch East India Company (1952); war memorials (the first half of the 20th century) and post liberation memorials (the first half of the 21st century). Particularly interesting examples include the Jan van Riebeek hedge in Constantia, the first trans-Africa flight memorial in Wynberg, the forced removals memorial in Simon’s Town and the Gugulethu 7 memorial. Few people know, for example, that the average citizen is celebrated in the form of a sculpture (pictured right) located in Pier Place, in the reclaimed Foreshore. The sculpted figure, a man conversing on a cell phone, is representative of the 21st century’s innovative technology and the development of the area, which was once under sea. The sculpture also serves another purpose – together with the trees and unique paving patterns nearby, it has been deliberately placed to add to the vibrancy of the area and encourage the pedestrian to linger there. Future generations will undoubtedly appreciate its representation of our society.

The location and condition of all these and other artefacts is documented in a survey(PDF, 14MB) commissioned by the City’s Social Development Department (Heritage Development and Promotion, Arts and Culture Unit). The paper is available for public use, and roleplayers, tourists and residents are invited to use it as a comprehensive guide to the sculptures, memorials, monuments and plaques on City owned land in Cape Town.

Besides their relevance to the Cape Town’s history, these sculptures, memorials, monuments and plaques display uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of South African's natural and cultural heritage and are of particular interest to schools, universities and tourists. By publishing the document, the department also hopes to increase awareness of their existence among residents. A map and brochure are planned for production.

Cape Town’s sculptures, memorials, monuments and plaques are all protected by national legislation (the National Heritage Resources Act No 25 1999) and form part of the City of Cape Town’s heritage register. The City is responsible for their repair and maintenance, which is done on a year round basis.