Cape Town - The world's oldest daily firing time gun
A time signal has been fired at Cape Town since 1806, firstly at sunset, later at 1 o'clock and finally brought forward to noon.
Two guns are used alternatively being 18 pounder smooth bore muzzle loaders designed by Captain Thomas Blomerfield and cast in 1794 they were used for the time service which commenced in 1806 from the Imoff Battery at the castle
As the city grew the noise of the gun became too loud and violent for a City centre and the guns were moved to their present location at Lion battery on Signal Hill above Cape Town in 1902.
The daily firing is carried out by
a member of
the South African Navy and by means of an electrical primer
from the observatory via a telephone link. Continueously in use since
1806, these two artillery pieces are the oldest guns in daily use in
the world.