The sea came up till the road on the right; Strand Street (Beach Street)Catzenellenbogen Bastion
The five bastions were built in the order Leerdam, Oranje, Nassau, Catzenellenbogen and Buuren. The bastions were named after the main titles of Willem, the Prince of Orange. The height of the walls of the bastions on the pea side was 10 metres, and those on the land side were even higher, apparently so that in the event of an attack from the sea, the cannons on the landward bastions could be turned around to fire across the seaward bastions.
The sections of the walls built in stone by the Dutch are evident. The brick sections date back to the British era. During British rule, the walls were made higher. During Dutch rule, the slate roofs were flat. The pitched roofs were erected by the British in the 1830's.
The sea came up till the road on the right; Strand Street (Beach Street)
From the Catzenellenbogen bastion, it is possible to imagine how close the sea came to the side of the Castle, before the land as we know it today was reclaimed between the years1930and 1945 with the help of Dutch engineers. The original entrance to the Castle, the "Waterpoort", used to be in the wall between the Buuren and Catzenellenbogen bastions. This entrance was unsuitable from the outset because at high or spring tide the water level made access to the Castle impossible.
On Catzenellenbogen you also see the mountings of 4 six ponder rapid‑fire Hotchkiss cannons. These cannons were removed from the Castle at the beginning of the Second World War. While these guns were still on the bastion they were used to fire gun salutes on special occasions.
Garrison Jail
The garrison jail was built by Louis Thibault (1786). 
The double cell to the right of the door was used for locking up drunken soldiers. The large cell with two doors was used for a maximum of 20 prisoners. The holes through which the prisoners received their food are clearly visible.
On the left hand side there are two cells designed for a maximum of ten prisoners.
The double cell to the left of the entrance was the ablution cell or bathroom. Here you can see a primitive stone bath which was used by the prisoners
On the doors are inscriptions made by the prisoners. It is said that the prisoners used nails which they pulled from their shoes to make the inscriptions; this is probably only partly true. They also had access to other instruments such as cutlery. All these inscriptions were made during the British era. The inscriptions on the outside of the doors were probably made during daytime when the doors of the cells were open and the large entrance locked. The cells were used for the last time during the Second World War to detain prisoners from passing ships on their way to the East.
In these cells we find the first evidence that British military regiments were stationed at the Castle. The inscription that remained intact, makes mention of 61 Regiment and dates back to the years 1840‑1845.
It is said that the names above the doors of two of the cells are names of well‑known Cape taverns at the time.
When you move out of the cells you will see, on your left hand side, the jail warden's office. The fireplace and safe box for keys can still be seen.
