Namibia: Renovation updates for Windhoek’s oldest building! [update #3]

update (07 October 2025): The Alte Feste restoration is structured around two main phases, with a general timeline guiding works into 2026. The current plan, as outlined by the project’s official communication and supporting organizations, is as follows:

• Phase One: Structural Stabilisation & Initial Renovations (2025)
• This phase focuses on urgently stabilizing the building, addressing structural issues, roof repairs, and securing the site for further development.
• Began mid-2025 and is currently underway, with works including masonry reinforcement, roofing, and preparatory groundwork.
• Phase Two: Complete Renovation & Repurposing (Late 2025–2026)
• Scheduled to begin after completion of the initial stabilisation, this phase will overhaul the interior and exterior, install new utilities, and prepare purpose-built spaces for museums, galleries, and public areas.
• Tasks in this stage include exhibition fit-out, renovation of courtyards, and development of cultural and artisan spaces.
• This comprehensive redevelopment is expected to extend through much of 2026, with targeted public reopening set for late 2026. 

update (16 April 2025): RMB Namibia, through the FirstRand Foundation, has contributed N$650,000 for phase one of its renovations, which include essential structural improvements and preparations for the museum and cultural centre.

update (14 February 2025): The German Embassy in Windhoek just posted on Facebook that Namibia Art, Craft and Design (Craft Centre) will receive 3.2 million Namibian Dollar (160 000 EURO) for 2025-2026 through the Federal Foreign Office’s Cultural Preservation Programme in order to support the extensive repair and rehabilitation work on the Alte Feste building in Windhoek.

The project to restore Windhoek’s oldest surviving building, the Alte Feste, has received a major boost! According to a statement by the German Embassy in Windhoek, the German Government will contribute N$3.2 million towards the renovation. This funding will support extensive repairs and rehabilitation, ensuring the historic site is transformed into a national genocide museum and a center of excellence for arts, crafts, and heritage.
The Alte Feste restoration is a collaborative effort between the Namibian Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture and the Namibia Craft Centre, with additional contributions from the United States Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation, the FirstRand Foundation, and the Namibian government. Renovation work is scheduled to begin in the second half of 2025. Stay tuned for more updates!

Located on Robert Mugabe Avenue in Windhoek, next to the Independence Memorial Museum, the Alte Feste has a long and rich history. The fortress was founded on 18 October 1890, completed by 1893, and later expanded after 1901. It served as a barracks and a refuge for women and children during the 1904 Herero War. During World War I, it was used as headquarters for the German Schutztruppe, and later, from 1915 onwards, for South African troops. From 1925, the building housed a hostel and classrooms for Windhoek High School. Declared a National Monument in 1957, the Alte Feste became home to the historical section of the National Museum in 1962. However, the site has been closed for renovations since 2014.

Namibia: Windhoek's oldest building gets long needed facelift! >>