The Alte Feste () is a fortress and museum in

downtown ''Downtown'' is a term primarily used in American and Canadian English to refer to a city's sometimes commercial, cultural and often the historical, political, and geographic heart. It is often synonymous with its central business district ( ...

Windhoek Windhoek (; ; ) is the capital and largest city of Namibia. It is located in central Namibia in the Khomas Highland plateau area, at around above sea level, almost exactly at the country's geographical centre. The population of Windhoek, which ...

, the capital of

Namibia Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country on the west coast of Southern Africa. Its borders include the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south; in the no ...

. It is situated in Robert Mugabe Avenue, next to the Independence Memorial Museum.

History

The building was designed by captain

Curt von François Curt Karl Bruno von François (2 October 1852 – 28 December 1931) was a German geographer, cartographer, Schutztruppe officer and commissioner of the German colonial empire, imperial colonial army of the German Empire, particularly in German So ...

, in order to serve as headquarters of the imperial German '' Schutztruppe'' (colonial military force), during German colonization of South West Africa. The location of Windhoek, which was deserted and completely destroyed at that time, was chosen because the Germans felt it would serve as a buffer zone between the Nama and Herero tribes. The fort was, however, never involved in any military action. The foundation was laid on 18 October 1890 by the then ''Schutztruppe'' private Gustav Tünschel. The building was redesigned multiple times during the first years; its final layout was only completed in 1915. It consists of an inner courtyard with high walls and accommodation for the troops on the inside, as well as four towers. The Alte Feste is the oldest surviving building in the city which subsequently developed around it. After the

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

German surrender in

South West Africa South West Africa was a territory under Union of South Africa, South African administration from 1915 to 1990. Renamed ''Namibia'' by the United Nations in 1968, Independence of Namibia, it became independent under this name on 21 March 1990. ...

, Windhoek was occupied by the

South African Army The South African Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of South Africa, a part of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), along with the South African Air Force, South African Navy and South African Military Health Servi ...

in March 1915. The Alte Feste now served as military headquarters for the South African Union troops. In 1935 the fort was used for a more peaceful purpose when it was converted into a hostel for the adjacent Windhoek High School. Already severely dilapidated, it was declared a National Monument in 1957. The building was renovated extensively in 1963. In 2010, the Reiterdenkmal, Windhoek's well-known equestrian monument, was placed in front of the Alte Feste. It was removed and placed in storage on Christmas Day in 2013.

Usage

The building accommodates the historic collection of the National Museum of Namibia. ''Alte Feste'' is closed and in urgent need of renovation. It is planned to repurpose the building into a centre of arts, craft, and heritage.A National Genocide Museum is also planned, as well as a small museum dedicated to the history of the building

References

{{coord, 22.5694, S, 17.0883, E, source:dewiki_region:NA_type:landmark, format=dms, display=title Buildings and structures in Windhoek 1890 establishments in German South West Africa German-Namibian culture History of Windhoek Museums in Namibia National Monuments of Namibia Castle museums