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| Windhoek | ||
| region | Khomas | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents | 322.500 (2010) | |
| height | 1,650 m | |
| Tourist info | 264 61 2906000 Tourist portal of the city | |
no tourist info on Wikidata:  | ||
| location | ||
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Windhoek (Afrikaans Windhoek) is the capital Namibia, the former German colony of South West Africa.
background
The main downtown street is Independence Avenue, parts of the business district are pedestrianized. The residential areas are comparatively spacious.
Katutura is a black suburb, currently under South African administration township. If visiting this area is too dangerous as a tourist (which is definitely the case at night), you can book guided half-day tours.
getting there
By plane
Stand against payment Amushe- and Oshoto-Lounge, both with showers, open to everyone. There is WiFi in the latter. You walk across the runway to the machines. In 2021 there will be seasonal direct flights from Germany with Condor from Frankfurt (Air Namibia, which previously flew daily, no longer exists) - the flight time is 10½ hours. Ethiopian Airlines via Addis Abbeba and Turkish Airlines via Istanbul are less direct, but often cheaper, but here you usually have to change trains for 20 hours.Open: 5.30 a.m. - 11 p.m."At the airport, travelers shouldn't let themselves be persuaded to put valuables in the checked baggage instead of hand luggage, ostensibly for security reasons."
Domestic flights and some connections to Cape Town on the other hand 2 Eros Airport(IATA: ERS). The operation here is geared towards general aviation in small aircraft, e.g. safaris, in 2016 there were 74,356 passengers with 17,620 aircraft movements.
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In front of the Tourist Information on Independence Ave. drive shuttles to the airport. Licensed vehicles are identified by a sticker from the NTB. Single trip N $ 300 (2017).
By train
In addition, the luxury train connects on weekends Desert Express Windhoek with Swakopmund, although this is a pure hotel train for a maximum of 48 passengers. There are stops for the lion feeding at the Okapuka Ranch and overnight in Friedrichsfelde. It costs N $ 5250 p.p. in 2017. in the 2-person compartment. There are also 7-10 day tours to the Etsosha Pan. No operation in December and January due to maintenance.
From Pretoria via Kimberley there are 11-12 day luxury tours of the Shongololo Dune Express, which cost N $ 60-75,000.
It is worth seeing Railway Museum in the old station building (9 a.m. to 12 p.m., 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.). Part of the exhibition space is dedicated to aviation and shipping.
By bus
In the street
Windhoek is the junction of several highways. The B1 in north-south direction on the one hand and the B6 in east direction 316 km to the border to Botswana. Also to the west, the direction Swakopmund (370 km on B2) and the direction Walvis Bay (337 km on C28; 400 km on B2). The B2 forms from Swakopmund, which merges into the B1 north of Windhoek and from Windhoek to the east B6 den Trans Kalahari Highway.
mobility
Windhoek is best explored on foot. You park your car on one of the numerous guarded parking spaces or in the respective hotel garage. All the sights of Windhoek are within walking distance of each other.
There is no bus service, only shared taxis. Tourists traveling alone are expressly warned against using them at night. Instead, real taxis (without passengers) should be used. These should not cost more than N $ 80 with a taximeter in the city area.
Before the Wernhill Mall shared taxis run to the districts of Khomasdal and Katutura on fixed routes at a price of N $ 10-30.
- Towing services
Breakdown Services: ☎ 264 (61) 230 823/240 733
Town Tow-in Services: ☎ 264 (61) 210 779
Road Guard Emergency ☎ 264 (61) 210 780
Tourist Attractions
- 1 Zoo park. Until 1962 zoo, since then central city park where it is pleasant to sit during the day. Since 1987 with a war memorial for the fallen of the Nama war (Hottentots) 1893/4. The office is also in the park Namibia Wildlife Resorts, for info and National park permits.
- 2 National Botanical Gardens, Sam Nujoma Dr. Well signposted but rarely visited, it provides an overview of Namibia's unusual flora.
Churches
The most beautiful church and a landmark of Windhuks is the Evangelical-Lutheran, consecrated in 1910 3 Christ Church, which was built as a peace memorial at the end of the fighting between the Germans, the Nama and the Herero. The church was designed by Gottlieb Redecker in neo-Gothic style and built from local sandstone. Kaiser Wilhelm II donated the stained glass altar windows, his wife the altar Bible. As usual in Protestant churches, the interior is rather poor.
The 4 St. George's Church on Love Street is considered to be the smallest cathedral in southern Africa.
Castles, chateaux and palaces
First is the 5 Old festivals to call. It is the oldest building in Windhoek (built in 1890) and houses the National Museum (opening times: Mon-Fri 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sat / Sun 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., in summer Mon-Fri 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sat / Sun 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. ). From the festival there is an impressive view of the city.
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Other “castles” are the romanticizing structures that the wealthy colonial rulers had built for themselves: there would be them Heinitzburg (the only public one, which is currently the most expensive hotel in town), the 6 Schwerinsburg and the 7 Sanderburg. All three were at the beginning of the 20th century. built by Wilhelm Sander. They have real castle features: towers, bay windows & wood-paneled knight's rooms.
Buildings
Other buildings worth seeing are the houses on the Independence Avenue (Kaiser-Wilhelm-Str.): The former Hotel Kronprinz, the Gathemann house (1913, houses a good restaurant) as well as that Erkraths Building (1910). All three were built by the architect Wilhelm Sander and have an unusually steeply sloping roof, which, insanely, was supposed to prevent snow from staying on the roof.
The former kaiserl is also worth seeing. Realschule (1907) and the 8 Ink Palace (1913, Gottlieb Redecker), the parliament of Namibia and former administrative seat of the German colony.
It is also worth a visit 9 gymwhich was built as a school in 1909. The building was converted into a conference center in the 1970s and became famous in 1975 when the first constitutional conference in preparation for Namibia's independence was held in it, which gave this assembly its name: the gymnasium conference.
Museums
- Railway Museum, at the train station.
- 10 National Gallery of Namibia (National Art Gallery of Namibia), Robert Mugabe Ave. Tel.: 264 61 231 160.
Open: Mon.-Fri. 8.00 a.m.-5.00 p.m., Saturday until 2.00 p.m.
- 11 Owela Museum, Robert Mugabe Ave. 4th. Branch of the National Museum. Mainly ethnographic is shown here.Open: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m., Sat. and Sun. with lunch break.Price: free.
Diagonally across from each other, about 50 m south of the Christ Church:
- 12 Independence Museum. The building was originally paid for by the Democratic Republic of Korea for what is known as the monument in front of the house Sam Nujoma looks at. Good view of the city from the top floor (with elevator). On the 4th floor. is a decent restaurant specializing in Namibian cuisine.Open: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sat., Sun. from 10 a.m.Price: free.
- 13 ACRE National Museum, Robert Mugabe Ave. Tel.: 264 61 276 800. Institution that takes its educational mission seriously. Unfortunately, the former headquarters of the protection force is a bit neglected and in need of renovation.Open: Mon.-Fri. 8.00-16.00.Price: free.
- 14 National Earth Science Museum (National Geosciences Museum) (in the Geological Survey, at Eros Airport). Exhibition of the minerals found in numerous in Namibia, as well as fossils.Open: Mon.-Fri. 9.00-13.00, 14.00-17.00.Price: free.
activities
The biggest carnival in the country is the Windhoek Carnival, which is celebrated in March and April without reference to the Catholic Lent, in numerous places.
In contrast to the Munich original, that finds Oktoberfest actually took place on an October weekend, but in an area subject to entry. For payment, there are wristbands with RFID chips to recharge. Local beers are served.
This has been organized in November since 2013 Windhoek Jazz Festival.
Sports
There are other sports facilities in the vicinity, including a rugby field, independence stadium and the German gymnastics and sports club. in the Eros Bowling Club, In the direction of the airport, there is no bowling, but you play “lawn bowls,” an activity for women of advanced age who lack any eroticism.
shop
Windhoek is for all Namibians the Shopping mile. Shops close early at 5 or 6 p.m. For travelers, bulk shopping in Windhoek is recommended for all things at the beginning of a trip to Namibia. In terms of choice and offer, Windhoek is hardly inferior to a German city of similar size. Many shops speak excellent German and English. On the streets there are many hawkers who bring their carved souvenirs to the people, on every corner there is a café, in short: Windhoek is actually the only way to shop according to European standards far and wide.
Recommendation: Avoid visiting Windhuks on weekends, however. During the week the inner city of Windhoek pulsates, at the weekend, especially on Sundays, it is - like all Namibian cities - almost extinct.
kitchen
It is advisable to reserve restaurants on Friday and Saturday evenings.
Upscale
- Leo's at the Castle, in the Heinitzburg.
nightlife
There is a casino in the Avani Hotel.
Prostitution is legal in Namibia, public advertising (street prostitution) or brothels are prohibited. Corresponding activities take place primarily in the Katutura district and the city center.
Since 2017, more and more nightclubs have been closing, which - due to the strict smoking ban in 2014 had already halved the number of visitors - were hit harder by the economic crisis.
accommodation
If you want to rent apartments in the short or medium term, you should know that there was a rental price explosion beginning in 2014/5. Prices in better locations in 2016 corresponded to those in Frankfurt.
Cheap
medium
Upscale
The most expensive hotel in town is the Heinitzburg with 16 rooms.
security
As in most cities in southern Africa, Windhoek is not immune to theft, etc. “In Windhoek, robberies often take place on Sundays and public holidays, when the streets are deserted.” In principle, Windhoek is a safe place, especially if you take South African cities as a benchmark. Free-hanging digital cameras, openly displayed purses and other carelessness are out of place, but otherwise you can go for a quiet and safe walk in Windhoek. Here the city is no different from Frankfurt or Berlin. This is especially true for the “night life.” Explore Windhoek by day and you don't have to be afraid.
It is not uncommon to see electric barbed wire on garden walls in better residential areas.
health
Climate: Good travel conditions all year round, dry climate; Midsummer between December and March; Winter between May and August.
That as generally described as good Rhino Park Private Hospital has no emergency room.
Practical advice
Police emergency number (including traffic accidents): ☎ 264 (61) 10111
Police raid command: ☎ 264 (61) 290 2239
Police / fire brigade / ambulance (state): ☎ 264 (61) 211 111
Emergency doctor (private): ☎ 264 (61) 249 777 or ☎ 264 (61) 230 505/6/7
Consulates
- 7 German embassy (Embassy of Gernany), 145 6th floor, Sanlam Center, Independence Ave. (Across the street from Zoo Park). Tel.: 264 61 273 100.
- Honorary Consulate General of Austria, Am Wasserberg 13, Klein Windhoek. Application center for passports but no emergency passport issuance.Open: Tue-Thu 10.00-12-00.
- Neighboring countries
To obtain a visa in order to travel on overland if necessary:
- Angola, Dr Agostinho Neta Road. Tel.: 264 61 227 535.
- 8 Zimbabwe (Rhodesia)
trips
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- 15 Avis Dam. Colonial-era reservoir created to supply the city. The surrounding small protected area gives a taste of the flora and fauna of the high savannah.
- 16 Daan Viljoen Game Park (approx. 18 km outside in the Khomashochland). Almost 40 km² game reserve. There are several hiking trails and two circular routes for vehicles, from which the 300 plant species, plus many animal species, including great kudu, oryx, blue wildebeest and mountain zebras can be observed in the open thorn bush vegetation. With a campsite or a luxurious bungalow complex to stay overnight.Open: until 6 p.m.Price: National park day fee (from 2016): Adults N $ 100, children and pensioners N $ 50.
- 3 Groß Barmen recreation area (Otjikango) (Almost 100 km ndl. Windhoek). Warm, sulphurous spring in a state recreation area of one hundred hectares, renovated in 2014. Indoor swimming pool and outdoor pool. Well attended on weekends.Price: Day pass N $ 200. Camping N $ 190, self-catering apt. N $ 1100-2000.
literature
See travel guide in Country article Namibia.
- Merab Kambamu Kiremire; Prostitution in Windhoek, Namibia: An exploration of poverty; 2007 (Konrad Adenauer Foundation)
Web links
- general newspaper, Windhoek
- Windhoek Obeserver, Daily newspaper, engl.
- 2 webcams show Windhoek and the current weather in central Namibia
