Beaufort West

Province

Beaufort West (English ) or Beaufort - Wes ( Afrikaans ) is a town in the municipality of Beaufort West, Central Karoo District, Western Cape Province in South Africa, with 34,085 inhabitants. Neighboring towns are Laingsburg (198 kilometers ) Prince Albert ( 159 km away) and the 179 km distant Oudtshoorn.

The community was founded in 1818 and named after Henry Somerset, 5th Duke of Beaufort. Somerset was the father of the Governor Charles Somerset, Governor of the Cape Colony.

Tourism

Several historic buildings dominate the image of Beaufort West. Particularly worth seeing is the Stadshuis, which was built in 1867 and stands in the Donkin Street. The former town hall, now a museum, where in about 1000 exhibits the life of the world-renowned cardiac surgeon Christiaan Barnard and the first heart transplant are presented.

Ten kilometers away from the city is the 80,000 hectare Karoo National Park. There live among other buffalo, rhino, mountain zebra and black eagle. Addition hiking or driving in your own car nature park can be explored on the " fossil trail " because there are some paleontological evidence in this region.

Beaufort West is also known for the many sheep farms.

Sons and daughters of the town

  • Patricia de Lille, politician
  • Christiaan Barnard, surgeon of the first heart transplant
Central Karoo District Municipality Beaufort West Local Municipality Laingsburg, Western Cape Prince Albert Local Municipality Karoo-Nationalpark
110890
de