Windhoek
© Roy Digital Design
Namibia's small, Germanic capital of Windhoek lies in the country's central Highlands. Windhoek is the country's main business and commercial center and its largest city. It also lies exactly in Namibia's geographical center. Namibia International Airport is not too far outside the city. The area surrounding the city consists of hilly highland of which the average elevation is about 1650 m (5410 feet). Because of its altitude, Windhoek has a nice refreshing climate and plenty of rain. There are many beautiful lush gardens and flower beds all over the city.
Windhoek is fairly small, with only about 500,000 inhabitants, but Namibia's ethnic mix is reflected throughout the city's streets.
In the city center various styles of architecture can be found, varying from German colonial structures to very modern glass and steel buildings. The Christuskirche is the city's main building as it can be seen from almost any point. It is a neo-Gothic and Art Nouveau-designed German Lutheran church. Other striking sights include the parliament building, Tintenpalast and Windhoek's oldest building, the Alte Feste, a fort built in 1890 that nowadays houses the national museum. In its yard you can see the Reiterdenkmal, a statue celebrating the victory of the German Empire over the Herero and Nama in the Herero and Namaqua War of 1904–1907. The Cape Dutch-style railway station that was built in 1912. Independence Memorial Museum is a museum that focuses on the anti-colonial resistance and the national liberation movement of the Republic of Namibia. The National Council is the upper chamber of Namibia's parliament. The Turnhalle is a neo-classicist building from 1909. State House is the official residence of Namibia's president. The Supreme Court of Namibia is the city's only building that was build after independence in an African style of architecture.
Windhoek also boasts three castles, a zoo surrounded by a lush park and about 10km outside the city you can visit the national war memorial of Heroes' Acre.
Windhoek can easily be seen on foot. There are many different routes set out; for example, the hour-long Hofmeyer Walk, takes you to the nearby bush land of the Klein Windhoek Valley and offers beautiful panoramic views of the city. In the center of the Post Street pedestrian mall, 33 meteorites of the Gibeon meteor shower are displayed outside. This meteor shower deposited 21 tons (24 US tons) of extraterrestrial boulders on the area of Gibeon in southern Namibia in 1837.
Windhoek has a wide range of hotels and hostels, as well as many restaurants.
