Signal Hill (Cape Town)
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Signal Hill is a landmark flat-topped hill located in Cape Town, next to Lion's Head and Table Mountain.
The hill is also known as "The Lion's Flank", but this term is obsolete. It is still shown on many maps as 'Lion's Rump': together with Lion's head, Signal Hill looks like a lion sphinx.[1]
It is known for the Noon Gun that is operated there by the South African Navy and South African Astronomical Observatory. Since the time ball at the Cape Town observatory was not visible to ships in the harbour, a second time ball was erected on Signal Hill in order to relay the precise moment of 1pm Cape Mean Time, so that ships were able to check their marine chronometers.[2]
The guns on signal hill were used to notify the public when a ship was in trouble and there was a possibility of casualties on the coast near Cape Town. Three guns would fired from Chavonne Battery, followed by a single gun in answer from Imhoff Battery.[2]
There is a road to the summit and that vantage point provides spectacular views over Cape Town and surroundings, especially at dawn or sunset.
References
- ^ Cape Town Magazine - Shooting in Cape Town with The Noon Gun
- ^ a b William Henry Rosser, James Frederick Imray (1867). The Seaman's Guide to the Navigation of the Indian Ocean and China Sea. J. Imray & Son. pp. p275-276. Retrieved 2008-10-04.
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See also
External links
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