Bellville, Cape Town
Encyclopedia
Bellville is a former city in the Western Cape
province of South Africa
; it is now part of the greater Cape Town
metropolitan area. It falls within the area of the City of Cape Town
municipality.
Originally called "12 Mile Post" (Afrikaans
: "12-Myl-Pos"), since it is located 12 miles (20 km) from Cape Town
city centre, it was originally founded as a railway station on the line from Cape Town to Stellenbosch and Strand. In 1861 it was renamed Bellville, after the surveyor general Charles Bell
. The city is located in the northern suburbs of the greater Cape Town area. It is very central, situated close to the airport
, various golf courses, wine routes and shopping complexes. The Karl Bremer Hospital functioned as the Academic Hospital for the University of Stellenbosch Medical School
, but now the adjactent Tygerberg Hospital houses the medical school. The Cape Peninsula University of Technology
and the University of the Western Cape
are also situated in Bellville.
Situated in Bellville, the Tyger Valley shopping centre is a sprawling mall with a huge variety of shops, boutiques and recreational facilities. Opposite Tyger Valley lies the Willowbridge open air shopping centre, which features the Willowbridge Slow Market every Saturday. The High Street shopping complex is situated just off Durban Road. Adjacent to Durban Road lies Edward Street, a service road filled with popular nightclubs, bars and restaurants catering generally for nightlife entertainment. The Mayibuye Centre, which houses a collection of material from South Africa’s anti-apartheid struggle, is worth a visit because most of the collection pieces were originally banned.
The multi-purpose Bellville Velodrome
is located in the Tyger Valley area of Bellville.
Opposite the Velodrome is Africa's first toboggan track, Cool Runnings.
In May 2007, Meg Ryan
and William H. Macy
completed the last day of principal photography for their new movie, The Deal
, at the Bellville Civic Centre.
In the local music scene Bellville has been nicknamed Bellville Rock City due to the number of popular bands that hail from the city, such as Fokofpolisiekar
, Foto Na Dans
, Jax Panik, Jack Parow, aKING
and Die Heuwels Fantasties
.
The novel 2 Dae in Mei (English: 2 Days in May) by Jaco Fouché takes place in Bellville.
A community of Somalis have made several blocks of downtown Bellville their refuge from war at home, as well as locally where they have become victims in neighbouring districts of commercially-motivated violence and killings.
Western Cape
The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...
province of South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
; it is now part of the greater Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
metropolitan area. It falls within the area of the City of Cape Town
City of Cape Town
The City of Cape Town is the metropolitan municipality which governs the city of Cape Town, South Africa and its suburbs and exurbs. As of 2007, it had a population of 3,497,097....
municipality.
Originally called "12 Mile Post" (Afrikaans
Afrikaans
Afrikaans is a West Germanic language, spoken natively in South Africa and Namibia. It is a daughter language of Dutch, originating in its 17th century dialects, collectively referred to as Cape Dutch .Afrikaans is a daughter language of Dutch; see , , , , , .Afrikaans was historically called Cape...
: "12-Myl-Pos"), since it is located 12 miles (20 km) from Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
city centre, it was originally founded as a railway station on the line from Cape Town to Stellenbosch and Strand. In 1861 it was renamed Bellville, after the surveyor general Charles Bell
Charles Davidson Bell
Charles Davidson Bell was the Surveyor-General in the Cape, an artist, heraldist, and designer of Cape medals and stamps.-Life history:...
. The city is located in the northern suburbs of the greater Cape Town area. It is very central, situated close to the airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
, various golf courses, wine routes and shopping complexes. The Karl Bremer Hospital functioned as the Academic Hospital for the University of Stellenbosch Medical School
Medical school
A medical school is a tertiary educational institution—or part of such an institution—that teaches medicine. Degree programs offered at medical schools often include Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Bachelor/Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Philosophy, master's degree, or other post-secondary...
, but now the adjactent Tygerberg Hospital houses the medical school. The Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Cape Peninsula University of Technology, a university in Cape Town, South Africa, is the only university of Technology in the Western Cape province, and is also the largest university in the province, with over 32,000 students.-History:...
and the University of the Western Cape
University of the Western Cape
The University of the Western Cape is a public university located in the Bellville suburb of Cape Town, South Africa. It was established in 1960 by the South African government as a university for Coloured people only...
are also situated in Bellville.
Situated in Bellville, the Tyger Valley shopping centre is a sprawling mall with a huge variety of shops, boutiques and recreational facilities. Opposite Tyger Valley lies the Willowbridge open air shopping centre, which features the Willowbridge Slow Market every Saturday. The High Street shopping complex is situated just off Durban Road. Adjacent to Durban Road lies Edward Street, a service road filled with popular nightclubs, bars and restaurants catering generally for nightlife entertainment. The Mayibuye Centre, which houses a collection of material from South Africa’s anti-apartheid struggle, is worth a visit because most of the collection pieces were originally banned.
The multi-purpose Bellville Velodrome
Bellville Velodrome
The Bellville Velodrome is a 250 meter, multi-purpose indoor velodrome located in Bellville , South Africa. The velodrome was initially developed for the South African Olympic Bid, this venue hosted the World Cycling Federation Championships in 1999...
is located in the Tyger Valley area of Bellville.
Opposite the Velodrome is Africa's first toboggan track, Cool Runnings.
In May 2007, Meg Ryan
Meg Ryan
Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra , professionally known as Meg Ryan, is an American actress and producer. Raised in Bethel, Connecticut, Ryan began her acting career in 1981 in minor roles, before joining the cast of the CBS soap opera As the World Turns in 1982...
and William H. Macy
William H. Macy
William Hall Macy, Jr. is an American actor and writer. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as Jerry Lundegaard in Fargo. He is also a teacher and director in theater, film and television. His film career has been built mostly on his appearances in small, independent films, though...
completed the last day of principal photography for their new movie, The Deal
The Deal (2008 film)
The Deal is a 2008 American satirical comedy film directed by Steven Schachter. The screenplay by Schachter and William H. Macy is based on the 1991 novel of the same title by Peter Lefcourt. Macy and Meg Ryan co-star....
, at the Bellville Civic Centre.
In the local music scene Bellville has been nicknamed Bellville Rock City due to the number of popular bands that hail from the city, such as Fokofpolisiekar
Fokofpolisiekar
Fokofpolisiekar is an Afrikaans punk rock band from Bellville, near Cape Town, South Africa. Due to the obscenity in the name, they are also commonly known simply as Polisiekar or FPK.-Band history:...
, Foto Na Dans
Foto na Dans
Foto Na Dans is a five piece Afrikaans progressive rock band from Bellville, South Africa, fronted by singer/songwriter Le-Roi Nel...
, Jax Panik, Jack Parow, aKING
AKING
aKING is a melodic rock band from Bellville, South Africa. The band was formed in November 2007 by Fokofpolisiekar members Hunter Kennedy and Jaco 'Snakehead' Venter in collaboration with Laudo Liebenberg , and Hennie Van Halen . Their first studio album, "Dutch Courage" debuted in 2008, followed...
and Die Heuwels Fantasties
Die heuwels fantasties
-Name:Die Heuwels Fantasties is an Afrikaans electronic band from Bellville, South Africa.Die Heuwels Fantasties is composed of Hunter Kennedy , Pierre Greeff , and Johnny de Ridder .-First Album, Die Heuwels Fantasties:Their...
.
The novel 2 Dae in Mei (English: 2 Days in May) by Jaco Fouché takes place in Bellville.
A community of Somalis have made several blocks of downtown Bellville their refuge from war at home, as well as locally where they have become victims in neighbouring districts of commercially-motivated violence and killings.
See also
- Queen Rania of Jordan visited the Tygerberg Hospital in 2006
- Belhar Secondary SchoolBelhar Secondary SchoolBelhar Secondary School is an Afrikaans/English mixed medium school in Bellville, Western Cape, South Africa. As of 2006 it had some 1,274 students and was staffed by 35 educators. . In 2006 the Western Cape Education Department designated it one of 10 "Arts and Culture focus schools" to be set...
- The Bellville Website
- Bellville Directory