Bethanie (often in
German: Bethanien, and in English: Bethany, previously Klipfontein, is a
village in southern Namibia, and is regarded as one of the oldest settlements
in the country. It is situated on the road C14 between Goageb and Walvis
Bay, 100 km west of Keetmanshoop.
As missionaries started travelling north from the Cape Colony in the early
19th century, they established mission stations on their way. The London
Missionary Society founded the town, but, because of a shortage of
missionaries and presumably because of the cooperation between the London
and Rhenish Missionary Society at the time, they instead sent a German.
Reverend Heinrich Schmelen arrived in 1814 as missionary of the Kai/khauan (Khauas
Nama) and their leader Amraal Lambert. The Schmelenhaus was built the same
year, long considered the oldest structure in Namibia, and currently a
National Monument and memorabilia museum. It was later discovered that the
church and the pastor's house in Warmbad, both destroyed in 1811, were older
than the Schmelenhaus, and that the fortification of ||Khauxanas predates
all European constructions.
In 1822, Schmelen left Bethanie after becoming dissatisfied with his
missionary work among the local tribes, who refused his repeated and
impassioned pleas to attend church.
The original church was built in 1859, and also still stands today.
In 1883, Bethanie was the scene of the historical first recorded deed of
sale at the house of Namaqua chief Josef Frederiks, when Heinrich Vogelsang
purchased Angra Pequeña and some of the surrounding land on behalf of Adolf
Lüderitz, the German representative at the time. The town of Lüderitz would
later develop on this land.
Car rental is advisable to visit the area.
Phone code: 063. Police: 10111.
| Related | Maps | Accommodation in the area | Activities in the area | ||||
| Hotels | Pensions | B&Bs | Lodges | Camping & others | |||
| Luderitz | General map | Bahnhof Hotel | - | - | Klein Aus Vista | Namtib Biosphere Reserve | Huib Plateau tours |
| Rosh Pinah | Regions | Bethanie Guest House | - | - | - | Klein Aus Vista | Car rental |
| Photo galleries | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| First railway lines in Namibia | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
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