Lion's Head and Signal Hill, Cape Town (must see)

Lion's Head is a mountain situated in Cape Town, positioned between Table Mountain and Signal Hill. It reaches a height of 669 meters (2,195 feet) above sea level. This peak adds to the picturesque landscape of Cape Town and is part of the Table Mountain National Park. The area holds significance for the Cape Malay community, historically residing in the Bo-Kaap neighborhood near Lion's Head.

Signal Hill, also known as Seinheuwel in Afrikaans or Lion's Rump, is a prominent flat-topped hill adjacent to Lion's Head and Table Mountain. Initially dubbed "The Lion's Flank," this name is now outdated. When viewed alongside Lion's Head, Signal Hill resembles a lion sphinx.

Signal flags were historically utilized to convey weather warnings and anchoring instructions to incoming ships, ensuring their preparedness for inclement weather in the bay. Similarly, ships could signal for aid using flags, particularly if they encountered difficulties such as a parted anchor line during storms.

Signal Hill is renowned for the Noon Gun, operated by the South African Navy and South African Astronomical Observatory. In 1836, a time ball was installed at the Cape Town observatory, but it wasn't visible to ships in the harbor. Consequently, a second-time ball was erected on Signal Hill to relay the precise 1 pm Cape Mean Time to ships, aiding them in checking their marine chronometers. This practice persisted until 1934 when it became obsolete due to radio signals.

The guns on Signal Hill were employed to alert the public in case of a ship in distress, potentially leading to coastal casualties near Cape Town. Chavonnes Battery would fire three guns, followed by a single response from Imhoff Battery.

A road leads to the summit of Signal Hill, offering panoramic views of Cape Town's city center, the Atlantic Seaboard, and the surrounding areas, especially during dawn or sunset. Additionally, several tombs or kramas on the hill commemorate Muslim missionaries and religious figures. The most prominent tomb, characterized by a white square building with a green dome, belongs to Sheikh Mohamed Hassen Ghaibie (Shah al-Qadri), a follower of Sheikh Yusuf. Other tombs are raised rectangles adorned with satin and are still visited by local Muslim residents.