Windhoek

Windhoek sits at about seventeen hundred metres in a bowl of hills in the centre of the country, and it is small for a capital, walkable in its core and unhurried. Its architecture records its history plainly: the Christuskirche, a German Lutheran church of 1907 in pale stone with a copper spire, stands on a roundabout above the centre, with the old Alte Feste fort nearby and Independence Avenue running below past shops and street traders. The Independence Memorial Museum, a striking modern building, tells the country's story from a Namibian perspective. What most visitors remember, though, is the food: Namibia has a serious meat culture, and Windhoek's restaurants serve game, oryx, kudu, springbok, alongside German-influenced butchery and beer brewed to old German purity rules. Craft markets sell Herero dolls and Ovambo basketry, and the city works as a first and last stop.

History

The city grew up at a hot spring known to the local herders. Jonker Afrikaner, captain of the Orlam, settled here in 1840 and built a stone church for his community, and the name is usually traced to the Afrikaans for "wind corner", or to the Winterhoek mountains he knew in the Cape; the town was founded a second time in 1890 by the German officer Curt von François (Wikipedia, Windhoek).

What to look for

• Christuskirche - the 1907 German Lutheran church above the city centre.
• The Independence Memorial Museum - the country's story told from a Namibian view.
• Game meat and beer - oryx, kudu and springbok, with German-style brewing.
• The craft markets - Herero dolls, basketry and carving from across the country.

When to go

April to October is the dry season and pleasant, with cold nights in midwinter; the summer brings heat and afternoon thunderstorms. The altitude keeps it cooler than the coast and the interior deserts. Most visitors pass through at the start and end of a trip, which suits it.

Good to know

It is a small city with few conventional sights, and a day is plenty before heading out into the country, which is what people come to Namibia for. Ordinary urban caution applies after dark, particularly walking alone away from the centre. Public transport for visitors is essentially nonexistent, so taxis or a hire car are needed.

Nearby

The Kalahari lies east; Sossusvlei and the Namib are a long drive southwest.

Key facts