I’d heard about Elim and seeing as we were in the area over the weekend we stopped off for a wander around on Sunday.Β Elim dates back to 1824 when it was founded by Moravian monks and became the third Moravian mission station in the Cape.Β Today it is one of the few surviving mission stations in the country.
Most of the cute, thatched cottages date back to the 19th century and are made of mud-brick, plastered with lime plaster and thatched with restio grass.Β Many of the 2000 current Elim residents are sought-after thatchers.
Worth visiting is the watermill which is still working after being built in 1824!Β The same is to be said for the church clock β itβs been counting time since 1824 and is the oldest working clock in the country.Β I can vouch for the clock; it struck 1pm when I was there! Elim proudly has South Africaβs only memorial to the emancipation of slaves.
Elim is an important part of the wine producing industry with four producing partners: Black Oystercatcher, the Berrio, Zoetendal and First Sighting creating Elim Winegrowers, a self-sustaining farming community.Β The fruit produced in Elim is slightly different to other fruit; the cool south west and south east winds restrict upward growth which means that the vine produces a concentrated fruit.
Useful Elim Links:
- Elim Attractions
- Elim Accommodation
- Cape Agulhas Attractions
- Cape Agulhas Accommodation
- Western Cape Accommodation
View Elim photographs in the gallery:
