Architecture sights in Swakopmund
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Old German School
Swakopmund brims with numerous historic examples of traditional German architecture. The 1912 baroque-style Old German School was the result of a 1912 competition, which was won by budding German architect Emil Krause.
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Franciscan Hospital
Swakopmund brims with numerous historic examples of traditional German architecture. Built in 1907 by colonial architect Otto Ertl, the Franciscan Hospital was originally called the St Antonius Gebaude Hospital, and functioned continuously until 1987.
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Deutsche-Afrika Bank Building
Swakopmund brims with numerous historic examples of traditional German architecture. The handsome neo-classical Deutsche-Afrika Bank Building was opened it 1909 as a branch office of the Deutsche-Afrika Bank. It's now a functioning Bank of Windhoek branch.
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German Evangelical Lutheran Church
Swakopmund brims with numerous historic examples of traditional German architecture. In 1906, architect Otto Ertl designed the neo-baroque German Evangelical Lutheran Church to accommodate the growing Lutheran congregation of Dr Heinrich Vedder. Is still holds regular services.
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Litfass-Saule
In 1855, the Berlin printer Litfass came up with the notion of erecting advertising pillars on German street corners. For the citizens of early Swakopmund, they became a common source of information and advertising. The remaining example, Litfass-Saule , sits on the corner of Daniel Tjongarero and Nathaniel Maxulili.
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Hohenzollern Building
Swakopmund brims with numerous historic examples of traditional German architecture. The imposing baroque-style Hohenzollern Building was constructed in 1906 to serve as a hotel. Its rather outlandish décor is crowned by a fibreglass cast of Atlas supporting the world, which replaced the precarious cement version that graced the roof prior to renovations in 1988.
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Prinzessin Rupprecht Heim
Swakopmund brims with numerous historic examples of traditional German architecture. The single-storey Prinzessin Rupprecht Heim was constructed in 1902, and was first used as a military hospital. In 1914 it was transferred to the Bavarian Women's Red Cross, which named it after its patron, Princess Rupprecht, wife of the Bavarian crown prince.
The idea was to expose convalescents to the healthy effects of the sea breeze. Until recently, one wing was still used as a maternity ward (the tourist literature claims it was closed due to a storks' strike).
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Jetty
In 1905, the need for a good cargo- and passenger-landing site led Swakopmund's founders to construct the original wooden pier. Over the years, however, it was battered by the high seas and damaged by woodworm, and in 1911, construction began on a 500m iron jetty .
When the South African forces occupied Swakopmund, the port became redundant (they already controlled Walvis Bay), so the old wooden pier was removed in 1916 and the unfinished iron pier was left to the elements. In 1985 it was closed for safety purposes, but a year later, a public appeal raised 250,000 rand to restore the structure. It's now open to the general public, but unfortunately once again suffering…
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