Stamps for German South West Africa postmarked Cap Cross 1900
In 1484, Portuguese navigator and explorer Diogo Cão was ordered by King John II of Portugal to advance south into undiscovered regions along the west coast of Africa, as part of the search for a sea route to India and the Spice Islands. While doing so, he was to choose some particularly salient points and claim them for Portugal by erecting stone crosses called padrão. During his first voyage, thought to have taken place in 1482, he reached a place he called Monte Negro, now called Cabo de Santa Maria, roughly 150 km southwest of today's Benguela, Angola.
During his second voyage, in 1484–1486, Cão reached Cape Cross in January 1486, being the first European to visit this area. He is known to have erected two padrãos in the areas beyond his first voyage, one in Monte Negro, and the second at Cape Cross. The current name of the place is derived from this padrão. What can today be found at Cape Cross are two replicas of that first cross.[2]
Padrão
Cape Cross inscription, modern copy at site
The original Cape Cross padrão was removed in 1893 by Corvette captain Gottlieb Becker, commander of the SMS Falke of the German Navy, and taken to Berlin. The cross is now held in the Deutsches Historisches Museum. A simple wooden cross was put in its place. The wooden cross was replaced two years later by a stone replica.
At the end of the 20th century, thanks to private donations, another cross, more similar to the original one, was erected at the cape along with the first replica. The inscription on the padrão reads, in English translation:[3]
In the year 6685 after the creation of the world and 1485 after the birth of Christ, the brilliant, far-sighted King John II of Portugal ordered Diogo Cão, knight of his court, to discover this land and to erect this padrão here".
Seal reserve
A confrontation at the Cape Cross seal colony
Cape Cross is a protected area owned by the government of Namibia under the name Cape Cross Seal Reserve. The reserve is the home of one of the largest colonies of Cape fur seals in the world.[4]
Cape Cross is one of two main sites in Namibia (the other is in Lüderitz) where seals are culled, partly for selling their hides and partly for protecting the fish stock. The economic impact of seals on the fish resources is controversial: while a government-initiated study found that seal colonies consume more fish than the entire fishing industry can catch,[5] animal protection society Seal Alert South Africa estimated less than 0.3% losses to commercial fisheries.[6]
References
^. capecross.org. Archived from the original on 9 June 2018. Retrieved 30 May 2010.
^"Henties Bay to Palmwag". fuzzytravel.com. from the original on 12 April 2011. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
^. namibian.org. Archived from the original on 11 February 2010. Retrieved 30 May 2010.
^Weidlich, Brigitte (28 June 2007). "Seal quota down for this season". The Namibian. from the original on 7 June 2011. Retrieved 30 June 2011.
^. The Namibian. 17 June 2010. Archived from the original on 17 March 2012.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cape Cross.
The Seals of Nam
February 09, 2023
cape, cross, racehorse, horse, afrikaans, kaap, kruis, german, kreuzkap, portuguese, cabo, cruz, headland, south, atlantic, skeleton, coast, western, namibia, cape, seal, colonymap, namibialocationerongo, region, namibiacoordinates21, 77278, 95083, 77278, 9508. For the racehorse see Cape Cross horse Cape Cross Afrikaans Kaap Kruis German Kreuzkap Portuguese Cabo da Cruz is a headland in the South Atlantic in Skeleton Coast western Namibia 1 Cape CrossCape Cross Cape fur seal colonyMap of NamibiaLocationErongo Region NamibiaCoordinates21 46 22 S 13 57 03 E 21 77278 S 13 95083 E 21 77278 13 95083 Coordinates 21 46 22 S 13 57 03 E 21 77278 S 13 95083 E 21 77278 13 95083Governing bodyMinistry of Environment and Tourism Contents 1 History 2 Padrao 3 Seal reserve 4 References 5 External linksHistory Edit Stamps for German South West Africa postmarked Cap Cross 1900 In 1484 Portuguese navigator and explorer Diogo Cao was ordered by King John II of Portugal to advance south into undiscovered regions along the west coast of Africa as part of the search for a sea route to India and the Spice Islands While doing so he was to choose some particularly salient points and claim them for Portugal by erecting stone crosses called padrao During his first voyage thought to have taken place in 1482 he reached a place he called Monte Negro now called Cabo de Santa Maria roughly 150 km southwest of today s Benguela Angola During his second voyage in 1484 1486 Cao reached Cape Cross in January 1486 being the first European to visit this area He is known to have erected two padraos in the areas beyond his first voyage one in Monte Negro and the second at Cape Cross The current name of the place is derived from this padrao What can today be found at Cape Cross are two replicas of that first cross 2 Padrao Edit Cape Cross inscription modern copy at site The original Cape Cross padrao was removed in 1893 by Corvette captain Gottlieb Becker commander of the SMS Falke of the German Navy and taken to Berlin The cross is now held in the Deutsches Historisches Museum A simple wooden cross was put in its place The wooden cross was replaced two years later by a stone replica At the end of the 20th century thanks to private donations another cross more similar to the original one was erected at the cape along with the first replica The inscription on the padrao reads in English translation 3 In the year 6685 after the creation of the world and 1485 after the birth of Christ the brilliant far sighted King John II of Portugal ordered Diogo Cao knight of his court to discover this land and to erect this padrao here Seal reserve Edit A confrontation at the Cape Cross seal colony Cape Cross is a protected area owned by the government of Namibia under the name Cape Cross Seal Reserve The reserve is the home of one of the largest colonies of Cape fur seals in the world 4 Cape Cross is one of two main sites in Namibia the other is in Luderitz where seals are culled partly for selling their hides and partly for protecting the fish stock The economic impact of seals on the fish resources is controversial while a government initiated study found that seal colonies consume more fish than the entire fishing industry can catch 5 animal protection society Seal Alert South Africa estimated less than 0 3 losses to commercial fisheries 6 References Edit Cape Cross capecross org Archived from the original on 9 June 2018 Retrieved 30 May 2010 Diogo Cao Archived 20 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine Encyclopaedia Britannica Henties Bay to Palmwag fuzzytravel com Archived from the original on 12 April 2011 Retrieved 26 September 2012 Cape Cross namibian org Archived from the original on 11 February 2010 Retrieved 30 May 2010 Weidlich Brigitte 28 June 2007 Seal quota down for this season The Namibian Archived from the original on 7 June 2011 Retrieved 30 June 2011 Time for Namibia to see the tourism value of seals The Namibian 17 June 2010 Archived from the original on 17 March 2012 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cape Cross Republic of Namibia Ministry of Environment and Tourism Cape Cross Seal Reserve The Seals of Nam Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Cape Cross amp oldid 1138311139, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
