Observatory, Cape Town

Name: Observatory
Address: Cape Town, South Africa

#107 among attractions in Cape Town

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Facts and practical information

Observatory is a suburb in Cape Town, South Africa that is bordered by Mowbray to the south, and Salt River to the northwest. Colloquially known as Obs, the area is best known as a student neighbourhood, home to students, faculty and other staff associated with the University of Cape Town nearby. It is also the home of the South African Astronomical Observatory headquarters as well as Groote Schuur Hospital. ()

Alternative names: Area: 1.35 mi²Coordinates: 33°56'11"S, 18°28'27"E

Address

ObservatoryCape Town South Africa

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Day trips

Observatory – popular in the area (distance from the attraction)

Nearby attractions include: Rhodes Memorial, Heart of Cape Town Museum, Cape Town Science Centre, Mostert's Mill.

1.4 miSW
Historical place, Memorial
Rhodes Memorial, Table Mountain National Park
36 min walk • Rhodes Memorial on Devil's Peak in Cape Town, South Africa, is a memorial to English-born, South African politician Cecil John Rhodes. The memorial was designed by the renowned architect, Sir Herbert Baker.
0.7 miSW
Museum, Specialty museum, History museum
Heart of Cape Town Museum, Cape Town
19 min walk • The Heart of Cape Town Museum is a museum complex in the Observatory suburb of Cape Town, South Africa. It is in the Groote Schuur Hospital on Main Road.
0.6 miW
Museum, Specialty museum, Science museum
Cape Town Science Centre, Cape Town
16 min walk • The Cape Town Science Centre is a not-for-profit science centre in Cape Town, South Africa. It forms part of a wide range of non-classroom initiatives to improve the quality of science understanding and science literacy in South Africa.
1.2 miS
Museum, Windmill
Mostert's Mill, Cape Town
30 min walk • Mostert's Mill is a historic windmill in Mowbray, Cape Town, South Africa. It was built in 1796 and was the oldest surviving complete windmill in South Africa. It was gutted in a wildfire on 18 April 2021. The fire had started on Table Mountain and spread, severely damaging a number of buildings.
~1250 ftNE
Observatories and planetariums
Royal Observatory, Cape Town
7 min walk • The Royal Observatory, Cape of Good Hope, is the oldest continuously existing scientific institution in South Africa. Founded by the British Board of Longitude in 1820, it now forms the headquarters building of the South African Astronomical Observatory.
~1250 ftNE
Observatories and planetariums
South African Astronomical Observatory, Cape Town
7 min walk • South African Astronomical Observatory is the national centre for optical and infrared astronomy in South Africa. It was established in 1972. The observatory is run by the National Research Foundation of South Africa. The facility's function is to conduct research in astronomy and astrophysics.
~900 ftE
Library
SAAO Library, Cape Town
5 min walk • The SAAO Library is the national library of the South African Astronomical Observatory for astronomy and space science located in Observatory, Cape Town, South Africa. Its primary function is to conduct fundamental research in astronomy and astrophysics.
0.5 miNE
Windmill
De Nieuwe Molen, Cape Town
14 min walk • De Nieuwe Molen is the oldest and the largest extant mill in South Africa and was built in 1782 near the Black River. The mill is situated in the Alexandra Hospital in Maitland, Cape Town and was declared a National Monument in 1978.
~1810 ftE
Area
Raapenberg Bird Sanctuary, Cape Town
9 min walk • Raapenberg Bird Sanctuary is a 10-hectare protected area in Cape Town, located on the Liesbeek river near the suburb of Observatory. The sanctuary consists of a section of the Liesbeek River, with parkland, trees, lawn and picnic sites.
~1000 ftSE
Sport venue, Sport, Arenas and stadiums
Hartleyvale Stadium, Cape Town
5 min walk • Hartleyvale Stadium is a field hockey stadium in Observatory, Cape Town, South Africa. It was previously used as a soccer stadium by Cape Town City in the National Football League era, as well as by Hellenic during the late 1980s.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Which popular attractions are close to Observatory?

Nearby attractions include SAAO Library, Cape Town (5 min walk), South African Astronomical Observatory, Cape Town (7 min walk), Royal Observatory, Cape Town (7 min walk), Raapenberg Bird Sanctuary, Cape Town (9 min walk).

How to get to Observatory by public transport?

The nearest stations to Observatory:

Train

Observatory (5 min walk)
Mowbray (18 min walk)

Bus

St Peters Square Residence • Lines: Ct1 (16 min walk)
Spencer 1 • Lines: 102 (19 min walk)