Time Ball Tower

The Time Ball Tower, located at Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront, was constructed in 1894 as part of the growing harbor infrastructure. It was initially a one-story structure used for time signaling, with the ball being dropped at 1 PM to aid ships in setting their marine chronometers. In 1903, the tower was raised to improve visibility and the mechanism was electrified. The tower became obsolete in 1934 with the introduction of radio time signals. Although no longer in use, it was declared a National Monument in 1982 and restored in 1997, with a reconstructed time ball mechanism that now operates electronically