Windhoek Half Day City Tour

The Christuskirche (Christ Church) in Windhoek, Namibia, is one of the city's most iconic landmarks. Christuskirche is situated on a hill in the heart of Windhoek, prominently visible near the Parliament Gardens and Tintenpalast. The church features a striking combination of European design influences and local materials. The church was built in 1907 following the end of hostilities between German colonists and local communities. It’s not just a religious site but also a symbol of Windhoek’s history and a popular tourist attraction.

It is the oldest surviving building in Windhoek and Major Kurt von François was again in the mix as he was the original designer of the fort. The construction however was re-designed several times and when the final version was finished it had taken 25 years to build. A lot of time, effort and money invested into a fortress that, in the end, never saw any military action.

The building was built by Imperial Germany in 1913 to house the colonial administration and was controversial even then as it was constructed using the forced labour of the Herero and Nama people. Tintenpalast is also home to a small but beautiful area of gardens. Open to the public, well laid out and shady, the gardens are popular with locals and visitors alike and well worth the visit. Here in the gardens you will also find three bronze statues of high historical interest.

Barrack like cells and dormitories were located here and were used to house men who had come from the regions to work in Windhoek. Their families were left behind, only men were allowed to live in this squalid area. That was the past, the hated accommodation has gone and so has the name, the area is now officially called Oshetu Community, an Oshiwambo expression meaning ‘this is or community’ and the area now houses one of the most vibrant markets in Namibia, being particularly famous for Kapana. Kapana is quite simply small pieces of freshly shredded beef cooked on a grill along with different spices such as chili and salt. It is served with a sauce made of chopped onion and tomatoes, which accentuates the flavor and freshness of the meat

From Oshetu we head through the colourful and busy streets to the community projects centre at Penduka. Penduka translates as ‘’Wake Up’’ and this is the perfect name, in their own words the Penduka people describe their project as ‘’a social enterprise and training centre for local, less privileged women in Namibia. We have the opportunity here to interact and engage with the Penduka ladies. We can learn about the different and diverse projects that they are running and we have time to browse the many and varied items for sale in their shop. From Penduka we head back to the Windhoek City Centre and you will be dropped off at your accommodation anywhere within the Windhoek City limits.