The daily Noon Gun is now Cape Town’s oldest living tradition, existing for over 200 years already. During the Second World War, when it was fired, all the citizens of Cape Town would stop for 2 minutes of silence and reflect on those who had died during the war. Moreover, the gun had another part to play in Cape Town's history. These guns were later moved to Signal Hill in 1902, overlooking the Mother City, the harbour and Table Bay, serving as time signals for ships entering the bay and the harbour.
In the early days the cannon was placed at the Castle of Good Hope, the Noon Day gun was used as a time signal for anchored ships in Table Bay. There are actually two cannons on Signal Hill, so even if the main canon fails, there is a backup cannon. It was the first used in 1806, and its backup cannon are the oldest guns in the entire world that are still in daily use. In 1795, after the English occupation of the Cape, the British brought the cannons to Signal Hill. Signal Hill is the historic hill from where the Noon Gun, a large cannon is fired daily at 12h00 all year round (except on Sundays and public holidays).Īccurate to the nearest millisecond, the Noon Gun booms over the Cape Town City, still surprising the long-term residents of Cape Town, and certainly has visitors looking anxious. Signal Hill was also the early settlement’s lookout point, and when a ship was spotted, flags were lifted to give the inhabitants of Cape Town below enough time to set up their goods for sale. The flags were used for communication of weather warnings as well as anchoring instructions to ensure that the ships were effectively prepared for stormy weather while in the bay. Signal Hill Cape Town was used as a point from which signal flags were used to communicate with ships, therefore the name ‘Signal Hill’. Couples looking for romance can take up a bottle of champagne and enjoy the magic of the lights, especially when Table Mountain is lit up during Summer. In the evenings, the views from the summit are absolutely breathtaking. With thousands of locals and tourists coming over to enjoy the exceptional view of the Sunset over the Atlantic Signal Hill is a little like ‘lovers lane’ and a trendy sundowner venue. All year round, there are family-friendly picnic spots on Signal Hill which are highly appreciated by both tourists and locals. On a beautiful clear day, all you have to do is to drive up or walk up this hill for breathing the fresh mountain air and enjoy the wonderful views of the Cape Town city and the Harbour. Signal Hill is now among the “To-Do” list of popular things to do in the beautiful city of Cape Town. The Signal Hill is also known as Lion’s Rump, as it is attached to Lion’s Head by a ‘spine’ of hills. From Signal Hill's peak which is 350m high, one can enjoy spectacular views, especially at night. It is one of the most famous spots in Cape Town for sundowners. Signal Hill is the Northern tip of the terrestrial area of the Table Mountain National Park, connecting Kloof Nek to Lion’s Head.
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