In 1696 the ‘Burgerwachthuis’ was built here, and in 1710 the Burgerraad added land to this site. Thus, the square became the second oldest public space in Cape Town, now known as Greenmarket Square. When the ‘Wachthuis’ could no longer be used, the Town Hall was erected in 1756. This much-loved Cape-style building showcases the work of skilled slave artisans. The square was a busy meeting place where everyone from the Cape Colony gathered: farmers, fishermen, travelers, enslaved people, slave owners, free black people, Khoekhoe people, company officials, soldiers and sailors. The public water pump was located in the middle of the square. Proclamations and edicts were promulgated from the balcony of the Town Hall, such as the Slave Code of 1756, which imposed far-reaching restrictions on enslaved people. Enslaved people had to walk barefoot, wear passes, were not allowed to stand still and were not allowed to talk to each other in the street. If they beat their owner, they were sentenced to death.