Groote Schuur, Colonial estate in Rondebosch, South Africa

Groote Schuur is a Cape Dutch estate and museum in Rondebosch, Cape Town, on the slopes of Devil's Peak below Table Mountain. Its long whitewashed facade has a central range of pointed gables edged with curving scrollwork and tall white chimneys, with a covered veranda on white columns below. Two projecting bays right of centre carry tall multi-paned windows beneath curved gables with round attic windows, and four white columns stand at the right-hand entrance.

Cecil Rhodes acquired the property in 1893 and commissioned architect Herbert Baker to redesign it after a fire in 1896. Rhodes hosted political guests in this residence, and later South African prime ministers used the house as an official dwelling until the 1980s.

The Dutch name means large barn and refers to an old grain storehouse that once served ships of the Dutch East India Company. Today this past shows in the architectural mix of Cape Dutch gables and British colonial forms.

Groote Schuur is a museum open to the public only by appointment, so arrange a visit before travelling to Rondebosch. The estate lies on the slopes of Devil's Peak, below Table Mountain, and the house stands at the end of a short drive off the main road. Much of the interior is seen on guided walks through the rooms.

In 1990 Nelson Mandela and F.W. De Klerk signed the Groote Schuur Minute here, a foundation agreement to end violence and begin genuine negotiations. This moment transformed the estate from a symbol of colonial power into a site of historical reconciliation.