Robben Island

From the 17th to 20th centuries, Robben Island was a place where a place where prisoners were banished. This isolated island meant there was no chance of escape for its inmates which included Nelson Mandela.

Robben Island was first recorded by Portuguese sailors in 1498 who were part of Vasco da Gama’s fleet and by 1525 it was being used to house convicts. It use varied as a quarantine station, military training base and prison. In 1961, it was converted to a maximum security prison and remained in use in this capacity until 1991. It continued to be used as a medium security prison until 1996 when it was eventually closed.

In 1997, it became a museum and in 1999, Robben Island was made a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.