SWAKOPMUND
Town and seaside resort at the mouth of the Swakop River. It developed from a military base established in 1893. It was developed as a seaport and proclaimed a town in 1909. The name is said to be derived from Khoikhoi tsoa, ‘posterior’, xoub, ‘excrement’, referring to mud and debris along the river in times of flood. The Herero name is Otjozondjii, meaning ‘place of sea-shells.
Namib desert
• Namib desert – The world’s oldest desert stretching from Angola to the Olifants river in SA. It is considered the oldest desert in the world. It has some of the tallest sand dunes in the world.
Haus Hohenzollern
• Haus Hohenzollern, cnr Tobias Hanyeko St & Libertina Amathile Ave – (Moltke & Brucken St) – Erected during 1905-1906 by builder Hermann Dietz for himself. Mainly used as a hotel (named after the German Imperial family, the Hohenzollern ruling dynasty). Was converted to municipal offices and currently for residential purposes. The ornaments were manufactured by Croation builders.
Hotel Pension A la Mer
• Hotel Pension A la Mer, Libertina Amathile Ave – Gable dated 1906 – used for accommodation as a self-catering holiday flats.
MC Human Mietwohnungen (MC Human Flats)
• MC Human Mietwohnungen (MC Human Flats) Anton Lubowski Ave – Erected in 1912. Used for residential accommodation as self-catering holiday flats
Prinzessin Rupprecht Heim (Princess Rupprecht Hotel
• Prinzessin Rupprecht Heim (Princess Rupprecht Hotel, cnr Anton Lubowski Ave (Lazarett St) & Bismarck St– Built in 1902 as a military hospital. Named after the patroness of the Bavarian Association and wife of the heir to the Bavarian throne, Prinzessin Rupprecght. Designed by Carl Schmidt. Expanded between 1905 and 1906. The hospital closed in 1909 and converted into a convalescent centre by the German Red Cross in 1914.Proclaimed a National Monument on 1 December 1976.
Alte Kaserne (Old Barracks)
• Alte Kaserne (Old Barracks), Cnr Anton Lubowski Ave & Bismarck St – Built in 1906. Designed by Lt Heinsius, commanding officer of the engineering regiment (Second Railway Construction Company). It served as a barracks for the regiment. They had to build a landing jetty for the ships. Re-opened as a German school in 1927 until 1975. Turned to a youth hostel. Declared a national monument on 2 November 1973.
• Bld Sudstrand st
• Corner bld Sam Nujoma st & Bismarck St
Woermannhaus
• Woermannhaus, Bismarck St – designed by Friedrich Hoft and erected in 1894. Extended in 1903 and 1904. The German shipping line was the Woermann Linie. Together with the South West Company they founded the Damara and Namaqua Trading Co. who occupied this building. The Damara tower was erected as a prestige symbol and beacon for ships. Serve as a school hostel from 1924 until 1972. Declared a national monument on 10 December 1971.
Kaiserhof (Bank Windhoek)
• Kaiserhof (Bank Windhoek)- cnr Sam Nujoma & Tobias Hanyeko St – Was the Kaiserhof Hotel. Commissioned in October 1904 by Mr A Bause. The first floor burned down on 8 May 1914. It housed the Standard Bank and now occupied by Bank Windhoek.
Haus Wille (Hotel Eberwein)
• Haus Wille (Hotel Eberwein) – Designed by Herman Wille and erected in 1911. Originally used as a dwelling and later partly used as a school. Started as Hotel Eberwein in January 2000.
Adler Apotheke
• Adler Apotheke, Sam Nujoma St (Kaiser Wilhelm St) – Dated 1909
House 55
• House 55 Sam Nujoma St – Dated 1912
Otavi Bahnhof (Otavi station)
• Otavi Bahnhof (Otavi station), Sam Nujoma St– Built in 1906. The Otavi Mine and Railway Company (Otavi Minen und Eisenbahngesellschaft or OMEG) required transportation to move copper ore from mine to coast. They built the railway line from Tsumeb.
OMEG Haus
• OMEG Haus – Sam Nujoma St – This was once a goods shed at the terminus of the Otavi Railway. A line built between 1903 and 1906 by OMEG to carry copper from Tsumeb. Now used by the Society for Scientific development. Declared a national monument om 3 October 1975.
Lighthouse
• Lighthouse – Built in 1903 and towered 11 metres. In 1910 builder Herman Wille was commissioned to raise it by 10 metres. It became an unmanned station on 6 August 1956. It was restored in 1980. It is incorporated in the town crest and alsi displayed in the Hnsa Brewery trade emblem. The quarters attached are small and cramped.
Altes Amptsgericht Old magistrates court
• Altes Amptsgericht Old magistrates court– Cnr Tobias Hanyeko & Theo-Ben Gurirab St (Garnison & Bahnhof) – Designed by architect Ertl to serve as a school. Building started in 1906 but only completed in 1908. It then became a Magistrate Court. Later it became a school hostel. It became municipal offices in 1976. Now the Atlantic Garden Boutique Hotel
Old Post office
• Old Post office, Daniel Tjongarero Ave. – House of Telne. Opened on 1 April 1907. It served as the main Post and Telegraph offices until about 1960. On 31 March 1967 it became municipal offices for a period. It was designed by Gottlieb Redecker.
Deutsche Evangelische Kirche
• Deutsche Evangelische Kirche, cnr Daniel Tjongarero Ave (Post St) & Otavi St – This Lutheran church was designed by architect Otto Ertl in 1909. Erected by FH Schmidt. The foundation stone was laid on 18 December 1910 and consecrated on 7 January 1912. Declared a national monument on 21 September 1978.
Deutsche Evangelische Kirche Pfarrhaus (parsonage)
• Deutsche Evangelische Kirche Pfarrhaus (parsonage), Daniel Tjongarero St – Next to the church. Herman Wille completed the parsonage in similar style as the church. It was completed in July 1911.
Swakopmund High School (German School)
• Swakopmund High School (German School), Daniel Tjonjarero St – This school dated 1912. It taught in German and Afrikaans. Now an English medium school and known as Namib High School. The first principal, a Mr Bohlke was there until 1980.
Antonius Residence
• Antonius Residence, Daniel Tjonjarero St – Built in 1907 as a catholic Hospital until 1987. It then became government offices. Converted to an Old Age Home and Nursing Facility in 2001.
• House, Theo Ben Gurirab St – Dated 1905
Staatsbahnhof
• Staatsbahnhof –Railway station Building, Theo-Ben Gurirab St – Designed by Carl Schmidt. The building contract was between Kaiserliche Eisenbahn Verwaltung and the Swakopmunder Handelsgeselellschaft. It was constructed between 1901 and 1902. The tower was later added by Wilhelm Sander. It remained a station until 1994 when it was converted into a part of the Swakopmund Hotel and Entertainment Centre. It was declared a national monument on 21 October 1972
Swakopmund Gevangnis (Prison)
Swakopmund Gevangnis (Prison), cnr Moses Garoeb St & Feld St - Designed by Otto Ertl and constructed by the firm Heinrich Bause. It was completed on 6 December 1907. It still serves as a prison. It was declared a national monument on 26 October 1973.
Schultetusheim (Kramersdorf Bld)
• Schultetusheim (Kramersdorf Bld), cnr Moses Garoeb st (Sudring St) and Anton Lubowski St. Built by engineer F Kramer for himself in 1912. The suburb Kramersdorf was named after him. In 1932 it was taken over by former Schutztruppe Major Oscar Scultetus and used as a boys’ hostel. Proclaimed a national monument on 23 December 1977.
Martin Luther steam tractor
• Martin Luther steam tractor, Sam Nujoma (2km out of town) – Manufactured in about 1894 by the Fowler Company in California, USA. Imported from Germany in 1896 when Lt Edmund Troost tried to link Swakopmund with the interior in place of ox wagons. The oxen did not survive the desert. It became stuck and was abandoned. The remnants were restored by the Municipality of Swakopmund in 1973 and later by learners of the national institute of Mining and Technology. Proclaimed a national monument on 31 March 1975.
• Haus Zetsmann dated 1908
Kabelmesse
• Kabelmesse, Ludwig Koch st – Built in 1901 for the Eastern and South African Telegraph Company as headquarters for its employees who installed the undersea cable from Europe to Cape Town.
Marine Denkmal (memorial)Photo Naam
• Marine Denkmal (memorial) – cnr Tobias Hanyeko & Daniel Tjongarero St – dedicated to the members of Germany’s First Marine Expedition who was killed in the relief of Karibib and Otjimbingwe during the Herero rebellion in 1904. One plaque in front indicates where marine soldiers were engaged during the rebellion whilst the plaque on the east were dedicated to those who died. Designed by Albert Moritz Wolff, Berlin, Germany. Presented to Swakopmund on 26 July 1908. Proclaimed a national monument on 2 January 1969.
War Memorial
• War Memorial – Ludwig Koch & Amzoll St – Dedicated to those who lost their lives during WWI and WW11
Kaiserliches Bezirksgericht (State house)
• Kaiserliches Bezirksgericht (State house)– This was the old District Court which was built by the Swakopmund Business association between 1901 and 1902. Designed and constructed by Carl Schmidt and completed by Wilhelm Sander. This building was used by the Administrators of SWA and now by the president as a summer residence.
Deutsche Afrika Bank (First National Bank)
• Deutsche Afrika Bank (First National Bank) – Totius Hanyenko St – dated 1909/1910 – Was designed by Fritz Kramer and FH Schmidt to remain as a bank. In 1921 it became the National Bank and then First National Bank.
Die Mole (the Mole Basin)
• Die Mole (the Mole Basin) – The site was founded by Capt Curt von Francios, commander of the German Schutztruppe on 4 August 1892 and a sturdy breakwater was built as an artificial harbour basin. Designed by FW Ortloff and construction started in 1898. The foundation stone was laid on 2 September 1899. The Mole was opened on 12 February 1903. Silt start to build up and by July 1904 boats could only enter at high tide ending in 1905 and a wooden jetty was built. The stone breakwater is now a walkway.
Alte Landungsbrucke (Jetty)
• Alte Landungsbrucke (Jetty)- when the Mole began to silt up alternative landing facilities were needed for ships lying at anchor. A temporary wooden jetty was planned and constructed. It was commissioned by April 1905. It was extended in 1909 and stand until 1914. In 1912 the building of an iron jetty was started. In 1919 the northern side was covered by wooden planks for use as a promenade by pedestrians.
Camels
• Camels – During the previous century they were widely used by the Police of Namibia as means of transport.
Rheinische Mission Church
• Rheinische Mission Church, the cornerstone was laid by Jakop Diehl on 26 August 1906
Hansa Hotel
• Hansa Hotel – Erected in 1907. A new wing was built in 1950. Still serves as a hotel.
Swakopmunder Buchhandlung
• Swakopmunder Buchhandlung, Sam Nujoma st Gable Dated 1907. This book dealer selling books in Afrikaans, English and mostly in German. Also, stockist of rare Namibiana and Antiquarian books. It was founded by Emil Hohne in 1900 who founded branches in Windhoek, Keetmanshoop and Luderitz. In the beginning of the First World War the bookstore was granted the right by Governor Theodor Seitz to print emergency money. It was banned in 1915.
