William Fehr Collection
The Castle of Good Hope is a beautifully restored fortress built after 1665 by the Dutch East India Company (VOC). It is Cape Town's oldest building. Housed within its massive stone walls are the magnificent national treasures that make up the William Fehr Collection. It is an artistic mirror of life and culture across Southern Africa and beyond. Superb oils and watercolours, graphics, fine furniture, silver, glass and much more reflect some of the lasting contributions of those who helped make South African history between 1500 and 1900. The Collection has been displayed at the Castle for nearly half a century, while many other pictures and objects are shown at the nearby town house Rust en Vreugd.
This building currently houses the William Fehr Collection of artworks depicting aspects of cultural life at the. Cape from the VOC era until the end of the 19th century. The private collection of William Fehr was exhibited at the Castle at the tri-centenary celebrations of the arrival of Jan van Riebeeck in 1952. This valuable collection has special relevance to the Castle and was bought, on public demand, to be on permanent exhibition in the Castle. On the top floor, one finds the Lady Anne Barnard Banquet Hall. The hall originally consisted of four rooms, which were converted into a reception hall in the 1930's.