Babylonstoren

The farm Babylonstoren was granted to burgher Pieter van der Byl by Simon van der Stel. Until that time the Drakenstein Valley had been inhabited by the nomadic Khoisan for tens of centuries. Pieter van der Byl planted the first vineyards on the farm. He also altered the water courses to provide irrigation.

Some of the farm’s earliest structures remain on the farm. Babylonstoren’s Cape Dutch werf is typical of the architectural style of the 17th and 18th centuries. It is considered to be one of the best-preserved farmyards in the Cape today. The original buildings include a manor house dating back to 1777, a Koornhuis (for storing wheat), an old cellar and an ornate fowl house. The dovecote, the leaning bell tower and the historic gates date back to the 1750s. The old cowshed was renovated to accommodate the Babel restaurant. New accommodation was added for the Farm Hotel, careful planning ensured that the design was sympathetic with the architecture of the original buildings.  This offers an authentic experience of 1700s Boland farm life, with all the luxury of modern convenience.