City Tour of Historical Swakopmund

Visit the Woermannhaus in Bismarck Street which is a superb example of architect Friedrich Höft's "Fachwerkbau" style. The building was erected in 1894 by the Damara and Namaqua Trading company and was extended in 1903 and 1904 when wood panelled offices were added. In earlier days the courtyard was filled with an evergreen garden. The building was used as the headquarters for the leading trading company in (then) South West Africa.- the Damara and Namaqua Trading Company (later known as Woermann, Brock & Co). Woermannhaus was also home to selected officials and employees of the company in 1909. The Damara Tower in the North-West corner was a lofty lookout which also served as a flag-mast and navigation point.

Visit the Swakopmund iron Jetty which was constructed in 1912 to replace a wooden jetty which had become derelict. Two firms based in Mannheim, Germany, received the contract, and plans were made to build a jetty of 640m. the rocky area contributed to major difficulties during construction and the company was forced to develop and incorporate a drilling programme to overcome these obstacles. When the First World War broke out, the jetty was left uncompleted and extended to only 262m. However, the jetty was built to such high standards that it endured the merciless pounding of the Atlantic for over 70 years, requiring little or no repair.

See the Prinzessin-Rupprecht-Heim, a striking reminder of the way of life of the early years of our country. This building was built in 1902 and named after the patroness of the Bavarian Association and wife of the heir to the Bavarian throne - Prinzessin Rupprecht. The Prinzessin-Rupprecht-Heim was originally built as a military hospital and was occupied in 1902. In 1909 the hospital closed and was converted into a convalescent home in 1911.Two years later the Bavarian Women's Association of the Red Cross took over the building and commissioned extensive renovations - with a donation of 35,000 mark.

See Haus Hohenzollern which was built between 1904 and 1906. This illustrious former hotel is definitely one of Swakopmund's most extraordinary buildings with its cupid and flower adornments, corner pediment edged off with two lions and an imperial image of Atlas with the world on his shoulders. Haus Hohenzollern looms over adjacent buildings and stands tall as an outstanding example of the German Architecture of those years. Despite the harshness of the Namib Desert, the pioneers managed to construct truly unique buildings of enduring beauty.

Visit the German Evangelical Lutheran Church with adjacent parsonage. Rumour has it that in 1905 Pastor Vedder was disappointed to find open-air church services completely unattended. He is said to have returned to his home - a wooden crate without roof, doors or windows -with his sermon still neatly folded and unread. In 1909 the congregation rallied together for building plans to be drawn up so that a church could be built. They would have their way, for Architect Ertl immediately set to work to design a magnificent house of worship in the artistic Neo-Baroque style. F. H. Schmidt was awarded the contract to build the church in 1910 (to the tune of 85,000 Mark) and Franz Schilling in Apolda, Germany, cast the three bells for this church.

Visit the Marine Memorial, a monument of superb detail. It is dedicated to the members of Germany's First Marine Expedition who were killed in action. The statue showing a marine standing beside his fallen comrade was designed by Berlin sculptor, A. M. Wolff, and cast by Gladenbeck A. G. , Berlin. The crew of the gunboat "Panther" presented the monument to the town of Swakopmund on behalf of the Marine Infantery on 26 July 1908. The National Monuments Commission declared the Marine Denkmal a National Monument on 2 January 1969.