Royal Observatory, Cape of Good Hope

South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) is the national centre for optical and infrared astronomy in South Africa. It was established in 1972. The observatory is run by the National Research Foundation of South Africa. The facility's function is to conduct research in astronomy and astrophysics. The primary telescopes are located in Sutherland, which is 370 kilometres (230 mi) from Observatory, Cape Town, where the headquarters is located.The SAAO has links worldwide for scientific and technological collaboration. Instrumental contributions from the South African Astronomical Observatory include the development of a spherical aberration corrector and the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT). The Noon Gun on Cape Town's Signal Hill is fired remotely by a time signal from the Observatory.

The SAAO Library is the national library of the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) for astronomy and space science located in Observatory, Cape Town, South Africa. Its primary function is to conduct fundamental research in astronomy and astrophysics. The SAAO library can be seen as the integral part of the facility as it provides the research staff with access to essential information and tools that allow them to function as informed professionals within their community.The SAAO library is part of the larger National Research Foundation (NRF) therefore the library has to align its strategic actions with those of the NRF. Any strategic actions adopted by the library have to contribute also the NRF's strategic directions and should assist in achieving the NRF's corporate goals.

The Liesbeek River (also spelt Liesbeeck) is a river in Cape Town in South Africa. It is named after a small river in the Netherlands. The first "free burghers" of the Dutch East India Company were granted land to farm along the river in 1657, shortly after the first Dutch settlers arrived in the Cape. The river was originally called the Amstel or Versse Rivier. It is the first river that Jan van Riebeeck named.The Liesbeek, which is less than 9 km (5.6 mi) long, is situated in the oldest urbanised river valley in South Africa. The headwaters flow from the eastern slopes of Table Mountain above Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens where the vegetation is largely indigenous. The slopes of Bishopscourt have large properties, including Jan van Riebeeck's farm. Water abstraction occurs here, often to water residential gardens, causing the flow to reduce during the summer months.In Newlands, there are smaller residential plots. South African Breweries and the Josephine Mill are located here. From Rondebosch, large sections of the river are canalised, and the short sections of the river that are not canalised are degraded by erosion as a consequence of the increased flow from the canalised sections.Below Rosebank and Mowbray, at Observatory, is the confluence of the Liesbeek and Black River 33°55′47.59″S 18°28′41.97″E. The Two Rivers Urban Park is located on land between the Liesbeek and the Black with heritage sites and designated public open spaces. The Black River empties into Table Bay at Paarden Eiland.The Liesbeeck is home to the Platanna, or African clawed frog, an amphibian that has been important in certain areas of medical research. Walking the Liesbeek It is perfectly possible to walk almost the entire length of the Liesbeek River on public footpaths. The whole walk is about 9.7 km in length, and should take about two to two-and-a-half hours. Starting from where the Liesbeek emerges from Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens in Bishopscourt, walk from The Hill Pre-Primary School on Winchester Avenue through the old Boschenheuwel arboretum. You can follow its route for the first 500 metres or so, to the point where it enters a private estate. Pick the river up again in Fernwood at the junction of Kirstenbosch Drive and St Albans Close; cross over to Riverside Road, where there is a path next to the river through Fernwood to the point where is passes under Edinburgh Drive. The Upper Liesbeek River Garden in Fernwood is the first formal park along the river's banks. Continue to walk along Riverside Road, then cross Edinburgh Drive and enter Paradise Park. The river comes down a cascade through the Park. A pedestrian bridge crosses the river, which you should use to follow the bank on the east side of the Park. Access to the Liesbeek River bank temporarily ends at the boundary of the Vineyard Hotel. This is the only major part of the River that passes through private property. Leave the Park and walk up to Bucksburn Road; turn left onto Bucksburn, then right into Lothian Road. Follow Colinton Road past the Vineyard Hotel—you could call in to the Hotel for a coffee and walk down through the Hotel's grounds to the path next to the river, but you'll have to leave through the Hotel again as there is no other way out. Turn left into Kildare Road - you can catch a glimpse of the river as the road crosses it. The river continues through private property parallel with Main Street; turn right opposite the entrance to SACS into Sans Souci Road and pick up the river again on the left just before Newlands Swimming Pool. From there, the Liesbeek River Trail takes you right through to Belmont Road in Rosebank. After passing under Main Road, the Trail passes Josephine Mill and the site of the Newlands Stadium, crossing back and forth over pedestrian bridges. It finally ends at the back of the Riverside Mall on Main Road Rosebank. From here, the path is informal, between the canalised bank and the grounds of St Joseph's Marist College in Rondebosch. From Belmont Road, the path eventually reaches the Liesbeek Parkway at the junction with Alma Road in Mowbray. From here, cross the Liesbeek Parkway, and follow the route of the river through Mowbray, under Settlers Way (N2) to the Two Rivers Urban Park. The path continues opposite the Valkenberg Hospital and the South African Astronomical Observatory to the gates of the River Club in Observatory. The confluence with the Swart (Black) River is in sight, which continues on through Paarden Eiland to empty into Table Bay.

Raapenberg Bird Sanctuary is a 10-hectare (25-acre) protected area in Cape Town, located on the Liesbeek river near the suburb of Observatory. The sanctuary consists of a section of the Liesbeek River, with parkland, trees, lawn and picnic sites. It is an important breeding site for a variety of water bird species, such as Sacred Ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus), Egyptian Geese (Alopochen aegyptiacus) and many duck species. However, the sanctuary is badly overgrown with alien invasive plants which damage the river system and its biodiversity. The river itself is polluted, but is being rehabilitated for recreational activities.The area is intended to form part of the Two Rivers Urban Park (TRUP), which will include many surrounding areas to form a large, integrated natural area in Cape Town. It will centre on the meeting point of the Liesbeek and Black River and will include several Provincial Heritage Sites, such as: the South African Astronomical Observatory (1827), Valkenberg Homestead (1830) Valkenberg Hospital (1899) The Nieuwe Molen Windmill The Oude Molen Farmhouse complex

Hartleyvale Stadium is a field hockey stadium in Observatory, Cape Town, South Africa. It was previously used as a soccer stadium by Cape Town City in the National Football League era, as well as by Hellenic during the late 1980s. It is currently a hockey stadium, with smaller fields nearby still used for soccer by local amateur club sides. In 1996 the Hartleyvale Stadium was upgraded at a cost of 20 million rand. The designed was by ACG Architects in association with GAPP Architects as a regional and national sporting facility to boost South Africa’s bid to host the 2004 Olympics. The complex was awarded the SAIA Award of Merit in 1996 and the SAIA Award of Excellence in 2008. The facility is now run by the City of Cape Town and has an offering two astroturf sports fields and seating for 1 700 people in the hockey section. The stadium is also used as a voting station for the South African municipal elections and the South African general elections.The Cape Town City F.C. plays its training centre, the club's original home ground between 1962-77.

De Nieuwe Molen is the oldest and the largest extant mill in South Africa and was built in 1782 near the Black River. The mill is situated in the Alexandra Hospital in Maitland, Cape Town and was declared a National Monument in 1978.In 1780, master mason Johan Gottfried Mocke was employed to build the new mill. It was built of imported Dutch baked bricks that were used by sailing ships as ballast material. The mill stood 42m high (including sails) with a diameter of about 10m at the base, and the blades had a flight of 23m. Around 1870, the sails of the windmill were torn off by a storm. The damage was not repaired and the mill became obsolete. The machinery and other woodwork were removed around the year 1920. In 1906, the Alexandra Institute for the disabled was opened near the mill and after 1928, the mill was included in the premises of this institution. The mill was renovated and used as a chapel. The most recent renovation of the mill was in 1996.

The Valkenberg Hospital is a large, government-funded, tertiary psychiatric hospital in the city of Cape Town, South Africa. It is situated in the suburb of Observatory between the banks of the Liesbeek and Black Rivers, overlooking Devil's Peak in the distance. Together with its associated psychiatric hospitals (Lentegeur, Stikland and Alexandra Hospitals) it is the chief provider of specialist psychiatric services to the Cape Peninsula as well as being a major specialist referral centre of the Western Cape province. It is the main teaching hospital for the University of Cape Town's Department of Psychiatry and is also a specialised training centre for psychiatric nursing (Stellenbosch and Western Cape Nursing Colleges).

The Alexandra Hospital is a specialist mental health care hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. It provides care for complex mental health issues and intellectual disability.The grounds of the hospital also include the historic windmill, De Nieuwe Molen.

Observatory railway station is a Metrorail station serving the suburb of Observatory in Cape Town. It is served by trains on the Southern Line. The station is located under the Station Road bridge. It has two tracks served by two side platforms, connected by pedestrian subways.

Observatory is a suburb in Cape Town, South Africa, colloquially known as Obs. Bordered by Mowbray to the south and Salt River to the northwest, the area is best known as a student neighbourhood associated with the nearby University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur Hospital. It takes its name from the South African Astronomical Observatory headquarters, built in 1829 by the Royal Observatory.

Coornhoop (also Koornhoop, Corenhoop, Coorenhoop) is a historic 17th century farmhouse. It is located at 2 Dixton Road in Observatory, Cape Town. Currently, it houses the Centre for Conflict Resolution.

Magnet Theatre is an independent physical theatre company based in Cape Town, South Africa. It was formed in 1987 by Mark Fleishman and Jennie Reznek who have since been the company's artistic directors. Besides creating original theatre productions, Magnet Theatre is actively engaged in youth development work in the Cape Town area as well as in the Cederberg Municipality.