Rhodes Memorial facts for kids
The memorial sits on Devil's peak nearby the University of Cape Town
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| Coordinates | 33°57′08.5″S 18°27′32.7″E / 33.952361°S 18.459083°E |
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| Location | Cape Town |
| Designer | Sir Herbert Baker |
| Material | Cape granite and bronze |
| Completion date | 1912 |
| Dedicated to | Cecil Rhodes |
The Rhodes Memorial is a special monument found on Devil's Peak in Cape Town, South Africa. It was built to remember Cecil John Rhodes, a famous politician who was born in England but lived in South Africa. The memorial was designed by a well-known architect named Herbert Baker.
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Where is the Memorial Located?
The memorial stands on the lower slopes of Devil's Peak. This spot was one of Cecil Rhodes's favorite places. You can even still see his old wooden bench below the memorial! From here, you can look out towards the north-east. This view made Rhodes dream of a "red line" of British lands stretching all the way from Cape Town to Cairo, Egypt.
Cecil Rhodes owned a lot of land on the lower parts of Table Mountain. When he passed away, he gave most of this land to the country. Some of his land is now part of the University of Cape Town's main campus. Another part became the beautiful Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. Much of his land was also saved from being built on.
What Does the Memorial Look Like?
The architect, Sir Herbert Baker, designed the memorial to look like an ancient Greek temple. It has a huge staircase with 49 steps. Each step represents one year of Cecil Rhodes's life. These steps lead up from a round terrace to a large monument shaped like a "U." The memorial is built from strong Cape granite, which came from Table Mountain itself.
At the bottom of the steps, you'll see a bronze statue of a horseman. This statue is called Physical Energy and was made by George Frederic Watts. As you walk up the steps, you'll see eight bronze lions on either side. These lions were made by John Macallan Swan. Near the top, there's also a statue of Rhodes's head, also by JM Swan.
A special message is written on the monument: "To the spirit and life work of Cecil John Rhodes who loved and served South Africa." Below the statue of Rhodes, there are lines from a poem by Rudyard Kipling. This poem, called Burial, was written in 1902 to honor Rhodes:
- The immense and brooding spirit still
- Shall quicken and control.
- Living he was the land, and dead,
- His soul shall be her soul!
The Rhodes Memorial was finished and officially opened in 1912.
Fun Things to Do at the Memorial
Today, the Rhodes Memorial is part of the Table Mountain National Park. There's a popular tea room right behind the memorial where you can get a snack. It's a great place to enjoy the view and have a picnic. Many students from the University of Cape Town, local people, and tourists love to visit. It's also a good starting point if you want to go for a walk or hike on Devil's Peak.
Around the memorial, you'll find groups of oak and stone pine trees that came from Europe. There are also a few small areas of the original Afromontane forest nearby. Just up the slope from the memorial, there's a small forest of a special native tree called the Silvertree. Table Mountain is possibly the only place in the world where this amazing tree grows naturally, and the Rhodes Memorial area has one of the last groups of them.
In the past, non-native fallow deer lived in this area. Now, they are being moved away so that native antelope species can be brought back. Below the memorial, there's an area where animals like eland, zebra, and wildebeest are kept.
The Rhodes Memorial isn't usually used for big events. However, it sometimes hosts performances and an annual Easter sunrise service. It's also a popular spot for filming movies or TV shows. For safety reasons, the area is closed from sunset until sunrise.
What's Near the Memorial?
Not far below the memorial, you'll find the University of Cape Town (UCT), Groote Schuur Hospital, and Mostert's Mill. Above the memorial is the King's Blockhouse, an old fort. Nearby was also the Groote Schuur Zoo site, which was originally Cecil Rhodes's own private zoo. The zoo closed in the late 1970s, and now only the lion's den remains. Rhodes's large Groote Schuur estate, which is close by, is now a home for the South African president.
There used to be a statue of Rhodes on the UCT campus. In March 2015, people protested, asking for the statue to be removed. It has now been taken down permanently.
The area around the memorial was affected by a large fire on Table Mountain in 2021. Sadly, the visitor's cafe at the memorial was burned down during this fire.
