Panorama is a suburb in
Parow,
Cape Town
Cape Town is the legislature, legislative capital city, capital of South Africa. It is the country's oldest city and the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. Cape Town is the country's List of municipalities in South Africa, second-largest ...
,
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...
.
History
In 1700 land that today form part of Panorama was awarded to Booysen, B.
The name originated when Booysen arrived at his land for the first time, saw the pretty view, turned to his wife, and said "Liefie, kyk hierdie mooi Panorama", which translates to him indicating to his wife that there is a beautiful Panorama from this area.
Change of ownership through the years
From Booysen it was then transferred to Meyboom, C which called it "de Grendel" It changed hands through the years and owners were: Meyboom, F. Heyns, J. and van Reenen, D. In 1890
Sir David Graaff, 1st Baronet
Sir David Pieter de Villiers Graaff, 1st Baronet (30 March 1859 – 13 April 1931) was a South African cold storage magnate and politician. Graaff revolutionized the cold storage industry in Africa. He founded the Imperial Cold Storage and Sup ...
purchase the land.
The Graaff family
They farmed with horses and milk. When Sir David died in 1931, his son
de Villiers
de Villiers is a common French language, French and Afrikaans surname.
de Villiers or Devilliers may refer to:
*De Villiers (playwright) (c. 1600–1681), French playwright and actor
*AB de Villiers, South Africa national cricket team, South Afr ...
took it over. The land was in a company called Graaff's Trust. After de Villiers death in 1999 his son
David
David (; , "beloved one") was a king of ancient Israel and Judah and the third king of the United Monarchy, according to the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament.
The Tel Dan stele, an Aramaic-inscribed stone erected by a king of Aram-Dam ...
was in charge.
Residential development and the naming error
In 1956 two pieces of land were sold for residential development. The remaining part of the farm (which today makes wine) is still in the hands of the Graaff family. The one piece being on a hill, from where Table Mountain is visible, and the other piece at the bottom of the hill. The intention was that the piece of land on the hill being called Panorama (Panorama meaning view) and the other piece Plattekloof (Afrikaans word for flat valley). The town planners however made an error and the two names were switched. Today the area with the views is Plattekloof and the area at the bottom of the hill Panorama.
Notable residents
*
Melissa Williams, Olympic skateboarder born and grew up in the suburb.
References
{{Cape Town suburbs
Suburbs of Cape Town