Robben Island: Historie, kultur og betydning

It was originally a Dutch settlement and later a British penal colony, Robben Island served many purposes throughout its history. Between the 17th to the 20th century, it had been (most famously) used as a prison, a hospital for those deemed “socially unfit” or “socially undesirable”, and a military base. Robben island is Dutch for “seal island”.

Kultur:

Even though Robben Island was listed as World Cultural Heritage, the site displays a large variety of wildlife (such as rabbits, guinea fowl, penguins, antelopes etc) some of which were introduced to the Island and whose populations has increased tremendously, possibly due to lack of 'natural enemies' on the Island.

today:

With the end of apartheid, the island has become a popular tourist destination. It is managed by Robben Island Museum (RIM); which operates the site as a living museum. In 1999, the island was declared a World Heritage Site for its importance to South Africa's political history and development of a democratic society.

famous:

Nobel Laureate and former President of South Africa Nelson Mandela was imprisoned there for 18 of the 27 years he served behind bars before the fall of apartheid. Since then, three former inmates of the prison (Mandela, Kgalema Motlanthe, and Jacob Zuma) have gone on to become President of South Africa.