Download
Robben Island shows visitors Mandela's legacy
CGTN
An aerial view of Robben Island in Table Bay, Cape Town, South Africa. /CFP
An aerial view of Robben Island in Table Bay, Cape Town, South Africa. /CFP

An aerial view of Robben Island in Table Bay, Cape Town, South Africa. /CFP

Visitors explore the former prison on Robben Island. / CFP
Visitors explore the former prison on Robben Island. / CFP

Visitors explore the former prison on Robben Island. / CFP

The prison cell where Nelson Mandela was once jailed. /CFP
The prison cell where Nelson Mandela was once jailed. /CFP

The prison cell where Nelson Mandela was once jailed. /CFP

A view of Table Mountain from Robben Island. /CFP
A view of Table Mountain from Robben Island. /CFP

A view of Table Mountain from Robben Island. /CFP

A view of Robben Island from Table Mountain. /CFP
A view of Robben Island from Table Mountain. /CFP

A view of Robben Island from Table Mountain. /CFP

Once a prison where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated along with other inmates during apartheid in South Africa, and at other time a leper colony and a whaling station, Robben Island is today a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It takes its name from a Dutch word for "seals," a sea mammal still found in the Atlantic waters of the region. Situated in Table Bay about 10 km north of Cape Town, the island is accessed via boat from the V&A Waterfront. In the shadow of Table Mountain, visitors can explore the cells where Mandela and apartheid's prisoners were kept. Today the island is managed by the Robben Island Museum that maintains it as national estate of South Africa. 

Search Trends