Turnhalle

The Turnhalle, or gymnasium, was built during the era of Imperial Germany’s colonisation of South-West Africa.  It went through a variety of uses, most prominently as the venue for the 1975–1977 Turnhalle Constitutional Conference, an attempt to quell armed resistance waged by the People’s Liberation Army of Namibia against South African occupation.  The Turnhalle housed the Tribunal court of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) until its disbandment in 2012.  The Turnhalle was originally used for school physical training and gymnastic competitions, as well as for recreational sports.  During World War I, it accommodated South African troops.  After a stage was added, the building was also used for theatre performances and cinema.