Keetmanshoop Railway Station

The Keetmanshoop Railway Station is a historic building that played a central role in the development of southern Namibia. The station building was constructed in 1908 and was a major hub in the German colonial railway system. It connected Lüderitz on the coast with the interior of the country. The building itself is an imposing example of German colonial architecture, built from local stone. It features a distinctive tower and wide verandas to provide shade. The station was not just a transport hub but also a social centre for the town. Although passenger services are limited today, the station is still operational for freight and remains an important architectural and historical landmark in Keetmanshoop. It is a reminder of the era when railways revolutionized transport and communication in this vast country.

Nearby cities

Keetmanshoop

The largest settlement and administrative capital of southern Namibia's Karas Region.

Lüderitz

An isolated coastal town built on rocks, renowned for its rich diamond mining heritage and Art Nouveau buildings.

Bethanie

One of the oldest documented settlements in the country, rich in pre-colonial and mission history.

Oranjemund

A town situated at the mouth of the Orange River, historically managed as a private diamond mining enclave.

Warmbad

An ancient settlement in the extreme south, centered around soothing natural thermal springs.

Rosh Pinah

A corporate mining town sustained entirely by the extraction of zinc and lead.

Karasburg

The main administrative center for the deep south, crucial for the regional karakul sheep farming industry.

Aussenkehr

An immense agricultural project on the riverbanks, known as one of the largest grape exporters in the southern hemisphere.

Noordoewer

The primary border post connecting Namibia with South Africa along the majestic Orange River.

Aroab

A quiet outpost nestled on the edge of the Kalahari Desert, functioning as a border crossing point.

Koës

A small settlement characterized by extensive dry pans that sometimes host off-road racing events.

Aus

A tiny village nestled in rocky hills where the arid interior plateau gives way to the harsh Namib Desert.

Ai-Ais

A thermal spring resort at the southern end of the Fish River Canyon, famous for its therapeutic sulfurous waters.

History & landmarks

Quivertree Forest

A surreal forest of prehistoric-looking aloe trees on volcanic rocks near Keetmanshoop.

Fish River Canyon

The largest canyon in Africa, offering breathtaking vistas and challenging hiking trails.

Kapps Hotel Building

One of the oldest surviving buildings in Lüderitz, which once served as an important social gathering place during the first diamond boom.

Felsenkirche Lüderitz

An impressive Neo-Gothic Lutheran church perched high on Diamond Mountain in Lüderitz, overlooking the town.

Goerke House

An elegant villa on Diamond Mountain in Lüderitz, built in 1910 for mining inspector Hans Goerke, reflecting the wealth of the diamond boom.

Nature

Fish River

The longest inland Namibian river.

Orange River

The longest river in South Africa, forming the border.

More places

Rhenish Mission Church

One of the oldest and most distinctive churches in southern Namibia, built by European missionaries in Keetmanshoop.

Fish River Canyon Park

A gigantic canyon with unique wildlife.

Fish River Canyon

The largest canyon in Africa.

Huns Mountains

A mountainous area near Fish River Canyon.

Aus Mountains

Mountain region near the Namib Desert.

Aus Desert Horses Area

Home to Namibia's famous wild desert horses.

Rosh Pinah Zinc Mine

An underground mine that extracts zinc and lead concentrates for export.

Skorpion Zinc Mine

A major zinc mine in southern Namibia with an integrated refinery.