Tintenpalast

'Ink Palace': the German-era parliament building, set in gardens

The Tintenpalast was built between 1912 and 1913 as the administrative headquarters of German South West Africa. The white neo-classical façade and palm-lined gardens are some of the prettiest in the city. After independence in 1990 it was repurposed as the home of Namibia's parliament.

Free guided tours are offered when parliament is not in session — call ahead to confirm. Even without going inside, the surrounding Parliament Gardens are a pleasant place for a stroll, with shady benches, a small rose garden, and views up to the Independence Memorial Museum.

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A story
The building was nicknamed the 'Ink Palace' for the rivers of ink that flowed from the colonial bureaucrats who first occupied it. After 1990 it became the seat of Namibia's National Council and National Assembly — the same writing of laws, in different hands.