Cape Town is the third most populous city in South Africa, forming part of the metropolitan municipality of the City of Cape Town. It is the provincial capital of the Western Cape, as well as the legislative capital of South Africa, where the National Parliament and many government offices are located. Cape Town is famous for its harbour as well as its natural setting in the Cape floral kingdom, including such well-known landmarks as Table Mountain and Cape Point. Often regarded as one of the world's most beautiful cities because of its geography, Cape Town is the most popular South African destination for tourism. Cape Town originally developed as a refuelling station for Dutch ships sailing to Eastern Africa, India, and Asia. Jan van Riebeeck's arrival on April 6, 1652 established the first permanent European settlement in sub-Saharan Africa. Cape Town quickly outgrew its original purpose as the first European outpost at the Castle of Good Hope. It was the largest city in South Africa until the growth of Johannesburg. (More...)

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_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

64: The Great Fire of Rome burned completely out of control, while Roman Emperor Nero reportedly played his lyre and sang as he watched the blaze from a safe distance. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Fire_of_Rome)

1863: American Civil War: The first formal African American military unit, the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, saw action against the Confederacy's Fort Wagner. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/54th_Massachusetts_Volunteer_Infantry)

1925: Adolf Hitler published his personal manifesto Mein Kampf. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mein_Kampf)

1944: General TÅ?jÅ? Hideki (pictured) was forced to resign as Prime Minister of Japan after a series of setbacks towards the end of World War II. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hideki_Tojo)

1982: The Guatemalan army and allied paramilitaries slaughtered upwards of 250 Maya campesinos in the Plan de Sánchez massacre. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plan_de_S%C3%A1nchez_massacre)

_____________________ Wikiquote of the day:

"To endure is greater than to dare; to tire out hostile fortune; to be daunted by no difficulty; to keep heart when all have lost it; to go through intrigue spotless; and to forgo even ambition when the end is gained — who can say this is not greatness?" -- William Makepeace Thackeray |Year=2006}} (http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/William_Makepeace_Thackeray)