Omaruru between artistic tradition and sculpture

Omaruru brings together an annual artistic tradition with tangible connections to sculpture and local history. The artists’ community organizes the Artists’ Trail; Omuntu Garden is a permanent exhibition space for sculpture, and Franke Tower is a historic landmark. Outside the town, Kristall Kellerei adds another distinct point of interest. When choosing a holiday apartment, you can therefore decide whether your trip will focus mainly on art and history in Omaruru or also include tours and tastings outside the town.

Artistic tradition and sculpture

Omaruru’s artists’ community organizes an Artists’ Trail every year. It is a recurring event, while Omuntu Garden was established as a permanent exhibition space for sculpture. Hanne Alpers maintains the Garden. It opened in 2009 with an exhibition of more than 50 sculptures; the works were by five Namibian sculptors. Bringing together more than 50 sculptures and five sculptors made the opening a collaborative exhibition. Omaruru thus has two distinct artistic attractions: an annual trail and a permanently maintained sculpture space.

A historic landmark in town

Franke Tower is a historic landmark on Dr-Scheepers Street in Omaruru. It offers a distinct focus alongside the artistic attractions: here, local history takes centre stage. The specific street address also helps orient visitors within Omaruru. Taken together, the trail, sculptures and tower offer different cultural perspectives on the town without needing to form a single programme.

Tours and tastings outside Omaruru

Kristall Kellerei is about 3 kilometres outside Omaruru on the D2328. Tours, as well as wine and Namibian gin tastings, are offered there. This attraction is geographically separate from the art and history sites in town. Check before setting out whether tours and tastings are available. When choosing a holiday apartment, consider whether you plan to focus mainly on Omaruru itself or also include a visit outside the town.

In the wider Erongo destination

The wider Erongo Region also offers a landscape perspective on the destination. Its natural landmarks in the northwest include Brandberg, the distinctively shaped Spitzkoppe Mountains and the very old Messum Crater. This regional perspective complements Omaruru’s cultural attractions with a different kind of discovery, without attributing the natural landmarks to the town.

Spitzkoppe is often called the “Matterhorn of Namibia” and is almost 700 million years old. Its highest point reaches 1,784 metres above sea level and lies around 700 metres above the surrounding plain. These two elevation figures describe different perspectives: absolute elevation and the relative height above the plain. For those who also consider landscapes and geological features when choosing a destination, this offers a regional point of comparison with Omaruru’s art and local history.

Discover more destinations

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Back to the wider travel overview: Erongo.