Luderitz, Namibia - 1 of 2

Luderitz, a quiet town in Southern Namibia, is known for colonial architecture. Our guide told us that the town was named for Adolf Luderitz in 1883, the founder of the German South West Africa colony. The Portuguese discovered it in 1487 and in the 18th Century the Dutch came looking for minerals but it wasn’t until the 19th century when whaling, seal hunting and fishing brought people here.

The town had a very sad past as the location of a concentration camp for 3,000 Africa that died here after being forced into labor (1905-7). In 1909, diamonds were discovered here and changed the complexion of the town as it became part of a major diamond rush that still exists to some extent (a ghost town exists close by in Kolmanskop from this early period).

Our walk through town, went to the Museum to learn about the diamond history, we saw beautiful stained glass at the 1912 Felsenkirche Evangelical Lutheran Church, visited the art nouveau house in 1910 Goerke Haus on Diamond Hill, and I got a haircut (see separate post).Read more