The Groot Constantia State Estate previously formed part of the farm Constantia, which was granted to Simon van der Stel in 1685 and was subdivided after his death in 1712. The farm Constantia with the Cape Dutch manor house thereOn was acquired in 1885 by the colonial government as an experimental wine farm. Since 1975 the farmlands of the farm Hoop op Constantia, as well as a portion of the farm Nova Constantia, have been purchased by the State. Portion 2 of Tokal State Forest 129, covering 22,1725 hectares, was declared part of the Groot Constantia State Estate in 1978. The wines produced on this farm are already world famous. The Cape Dutch Groot Constantia manor house, which was built by Simon van der Stel in 1692, was destroyed by fire on 19 December 1925. The house was restored in 1926-27 by the architect F. K. Kendall.
The Cape Dutch manor house known as Hoop op Constantia (formerly Klein Constantia) is a U-shaped house with only three gables.
The Groot Constantia manor house is at present used as a museum by the South African Cultural History Museum.
