Cape Town Landmark: The Civic Center Building

Spotted! The Cape Town Civic Center, on the city’s foreshore. Impossible to miss, really.

Where it is? 12 Herzog Boulevard, Cape Town | Map

What is it? It’s the seat of the government of the Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality, a massive area comprising Cape Town, its northern and southern suburbs, Khayelitsha and the Cape Flats.

Who’s inside? Cape Town’s mayor, for one, who’s seat is always very hot. Follow Cape Town politics: Google News.

Why would I ever go there? To register an electricity account, get a car license, or lie your way to the top floor, where the views (98 m/328 ft up) are spectacular.

Is that a satellite dish on its lower roof? (Look at the shadow in the photo.) No, it’s the spaceship left behind by the aliens who designed the building. Actually, no, it’s not that either: it’s art. Couldn’t you tell?

What’s nearby? The Artscape Theatre, one of the city’s major performing arts centers. Also: a WiFi Hotspot, in the nearby Media24 building.

More information: Emporis.com | Cape Town Landmark Buildings (The Civic Center is listed, but without photos.)