Greenmarket Square

Greenmarket Square is a cobblestone civic square in central Cape Town, surrounded by historic buildings including the Old Town House. Established in 1696, it has passed through roles as a slave market, vegetable market, parking area, and a site of anti-apartheid protest.

Don't miss

• The Old Town House, built in 1761
• A hand-operated pump drawing water from an underground river
• Art Deco buildings added around the square in the 1930s
• The historic centre point marked before the Old Town House door
• Its role in the 1989 Purple Rain Protest

Tickets & tours

Ways to visit Greenmarket Square

Cheapest way inCape Town live guided Urban Safari: Inner City Tour5★ · 181 travelers~1 hourFree cancellationFrom$6 per personSee dates →Most bookedCape Town: Lion's Head Sunrise/Sunset Hike5★ · 1,621 travelers~4 hoursFree cancellationFrom$65 per personSee dates →Private & flexibleCape of Good Hope Cape Point and Penguins Private Tour Cape Town4.9★ · 17 travelers8-9 hoursFree cancellationFrom$104 per personSee dates →

Getting there

Know before you go

• The square lies between St George's Mall and Long Street, with Shortmarket and Longmarket streets on either side.
• Its cobbled surface and surrounding architecture preserve layers of Cape Town's civic history.
• The square was pedestrianised in the early 2000s.

A bit of history

The square was built in 1696 when a burgher watch house was erected. It served as a slave market, vegetable market, and later a parking lot. During apartheid it was a focus for political protests, including the 1989 Purple Rain Protest. The Old Town House, built in 1761, now houses the Michaelis Collection of art.