Cape Town’s City Hall Bells Chime Again After Full Restoration

The City’s Mayoral Committee for Economic Growth, Alderman James Vos, with the Executive Mayor of Cape Town, Geordin Hill-Lewis, at the City Hall turret clock.

After years of silence, the 120-year-old City Hall clock and its iconic bells have been fully restored, bringing back its heritage.

Cape Town, South Africa (01 August 2025) – For the first time in many years, the heart of Cape Town is ringing with history. Capetonians walking past City Hall can once again hear the beautiful sound of the building’s iconic bells chiming in perfect time with its restored clock.

The 120-year-old City Hall clock, built in 1905, is a piece of living history. Its mechanism and chiming bells were crafted by the same company that built London’s world-famous Big Ben. Over the decades, time had silenced the clock, its proud chimes becoming only a memory. Now, after restoration, the clock and bells are working flawlessly again.

Cape Town Mayor, Geordin Hill-Lewis, said the restoration is more than just a technical achievement; it is a symbol of pride and responsibility.

“This project reflects the pride we feel in Cape Town,” the Mayor said. “We have a responsibility we have to respect that which we have been left by previous generations and to work to make it even better for future generations. That’s what we must do now for our whole city, as we have now done with this clockwork.”

The restoration project involved carefully dismantling, cleaning, and aligning every part of the clock’s intricate mechanism. Each gear, lever, and bell hammer has been returned to its original condition, allowing the bells to once again echo across the CBD.

Cape Town City Hall is not only a historic landmark but also a vibrant hub for the city’s cultural and social life. It hosts a variety of events, including concerts, the annual Festive Lights Switch-On, and the State of the Nation Address. The building also serves as a venue for exhibitions, conferences, and even private functions such as weddings and parties.

For Capetonians and visitors, the return of the City Hall chimes is a reminder that history lives all around us. The sound of the bells will mark the hour and a new chapter of care and pride in the Mother City’s heritage.

You could be passing by or stopping to listen, the bells of City Hall remind us that Cape Town’s heart is still ticking proudly and keeping time for all the generations to come.