St George's Cathedral
This stunning cathedral was once the religious seat of one of the most recognizable faces—and voices—in the fight against apartheid, Archbishop Desmond Tutu. As the first Black archbishop of Cape Town (he was elected in 1986), he vociferously denounced apartheid and relentlessly pressed for a democratic government—he also spoke out for the rights of other minorities, including gays and lesbians. It was from these steps that he led a demonstration of more than 30,000 people and coined the phrase the Rainbow People to describe South Africans in all their glorious diversity. The cathedral continues in its active monitoring role today, holding the new government to account. Designed by Sir Herbert Baker in the Gothic Revival style; construction of the Anglican house of worship began in 1901, using sandstone from Table Mountain. The building contains beautiful examples of late-Victorian stained glass, the largest stained-glass window in the country, and a 1,000-year-old Coptic cross. If you want to hear its magnificent organ being played, attend the choral evensong at 6 on Sunday evening. Cathedral guides conduct hour-long tours of the building by arrangement.
