Alte Feste

The Alte Feste is a castellated German fortress and museum in downtown Windhoek.  It was designed by Captain Curt von François as the headquarters of the German Schutztruppe and built at this location to separate the Nama and Herero tribes.  The foundation stone was laid in 1890, and after multiple redesigns only completed in 1915.  After the German surrender in South West Africa in 1915, it became the headquarters of the South African Union troops.  Later it was a hostel and it was declared a national monument in 1957, and much renovated in 1963.  It now houses the National Museum of Namibia.