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

The oldest surviving building in Windhoek will soon get a facelift. The Namibian Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture has confirmed that it has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Namibia Craft Centre in order to transform the "Alte Feste" into a Centre of Excellence for the creative industry while retaining the building's historical significance. The "Alte Feste renovation and repurposing project" will be supported by the US Embassy in Windhoek through its Cultural Preservation Fund.
According to the Ministry, the renovation of the "Alte Feste, which became severely dilapidated because of the limited maintenance that was carried out, will be done in stages. During the the first phase, the main focus will be on stabilizing the structure of the building and making it functional again for diverse activities. Upon completition, the "Alte Feste" will host a museum chronicling the building's history, a craft market, an art gallery, training workshops, art studios, restaurant/café, as well as a courtyard event space and offices.
The launch of the "Alte Feste renovation and repurposing project" is taking place on 10 April 2024.

The "Alte Feste" is located in Robert Mugabe Avenue in Windhoek, next to the Independence Memorial Museum. The foundation of the fortress was laid on 18 October 1890. By 1893 the "Alte Feste" had been completed and was extended to its present shape after 1901. It served as a barracks and shelter for women and children during the 1904 Herero war. During the First World War the "Alte Feste" served as headquarters for the Schutztruppe, the colonial troops in the African territories of the German colonial empire. From 1915 onwards it served as headquarters for the South African troops. From 1925 it was used as a hostel and classrooms by the Windhoek high school. The "Alte Feste" was later declared a National Monument in 1957 and in 1962 it became the home of the historical section of the National Museum. The "Alte Feste" has been closed for renovations since 2014.