Wednesday, August 12, 2026

Cape Town, South Africa: The Arch for the Arch

It's good to know a bit about Desmond Tutu before pondering this structure. He was the Archbishop of Cape Town from 1986 to 1996, and was the first Black to ever hold that particular position. Tutu's nickname was "The Arch." 

In 1916, Cape Town opted to honor Bishop Tutu with this dome of sorts. There are 14 arches that make up the tribute, which matches the number of chapters in the South African constitution. This went up next to St. George's Cathedral - right in the center of activity in the central city. Government Avenue is one of the oldest pedestrian walkways in the city. 

The dedication came in 2017. A similar, small collection of arches was built in Johannesburg two months after the ceremony in Cape Town.  Here's what the event in Cape Town looked like:

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