The battle of Blaauwberg was a turning point in the history of the Cape Colony and South Africa in general. The Blaauwberg Nature Reserve over and above being a significance natural heritage site, contains the battleground and field hospital associated with the Battle of Blaauwberg that took place in 1806. The National Monuments Council declared the battle site a conservation area in 1996 under the National Monuments Act. The site includes the landscape where the events around the Battle of Blaauwberg took place including the iconic Blaauwberg Hill, the battle field and the site of the field hospital. The reserve contains Middle Stone Age and Late Stone Age occurrences which contribute to the understanding of the occupation of the South-Western Cape by the indigenous groups over time. The Muslim community of Cape Town many of who were slaves were granted their own burial ground (Tana Baru) in recognition of their contribution in the defense of the Cape against the British during the Battle of Blaauwberg.
