Castle of Good Hope

South Africa’s oldest surviving colonial building is also one of its most haunted.

A History of Violence

Built by the Dutch East India Company between 1666 and 1679, the castle served as:

• A military fortress
• A prison for slaves and criminals
• An execution ground
• A hospital

The Lady in Grey

The most frequently sighted ghost:

• A tall woman in grey 17th-century dress
• She runs through the castle, holding her face and crying
• She is seen on the battlements and in corridors
• She vanished for years after a woman’s body was found in a blocked doorway

The Ghost of Governor van Noodt

Governor Pieter Gijsbert van Noodt was infamous for his cruelty. After sentencing seven soldiers to death:

• One cursed him before dying
• Van Noodt was found dead at his desk that same day
• His contorted face suggested terror
• He now walks the corridors, appearing enraged

The Phantom Dog

A large black dog:

• Leaps at guards and visitors
• Disappears upon contact
• Is seen running between buildings
• Has been reported for over 300 years

Other Phenomena

The Bell Tower

Footsteps on stairs lead to the bell that rings by itself.

The Dungeon

• Screams and moaning from empty cells
• Cold spots in summer
• Shackles that rattle with no wind

Lady Anne Barnard’s Ghost

The socialite who lived here in the 1790s appears in period dress, hosting phantom parties.

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The Castle of Good Hope offers ghost tours and is one of South Africa’s most investigated locations.