Named Robbe Eiland by the Dutch in the mid-seventeenth century due to its large seal population, Robben Island has seen much human suffering. As early as 1636 it served as a penal settlement, and was take over by the South African Prisons Service in 1960.

When the last political prisoners were released in 1991, the South African Natural Heritage Programme nominated the island for its significance as a seabird breeding colony. It hosts more than 130 bird species, including the migrant Caspian tern and the jackass penguin. Today, the island is an important ecological and historical heritage site.

The splendid Victorian Governor’s House on the island dates from 1895 and was originally the home of the Island Commissioner. Today it serves as a conference centre and provides upmarket accommodation for visiting dignitaries and VIPs.