Mombasa Old Town

Old Town of Mombasa
Old Town of Mombasa Old Town of Mombasa
Coordinates: 4°3′32″S 39°40′35″E
Country	Kenya
County	Mombasa County
Constituency	Mvita Constituency
Time zone	UTC+3 (EAT)

Old Town in 1572

The Old Town of Mombasa, also known as Mji Mkongwe, is the old part of Mombasa, the main city of Mombasa County in Kenya. Situated on the south-east side of Mombasa Island, the Old Town covers an area of 72 hectares (180 acres), and is inhabited by a mix of Swahili, Arab, Persian, Indian, Asian, Portuguese and British settlers. Old Town is a city of prominent historical and artistic importance in East Africa. Due to its heritage, It is a major tourist attraction in Kenya with a large part of its economy dependent on tourism-related activities.

In 1997, the Old Town and Fort Jesus were submitted by the National Museums of Kenya for selection in UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites.

Geography

The area is located to the east of Mombasa Island, adjacent to Tudor Creek.

Architecture

Buildings in the Old Town are mostly Swahili, however, the many other ones are influenced by Mombasa's trade culture and foreign occupation, with many examples of colonial Portuguese styles from the 16th century and modern Islamic architecture. The heart of Old Town mostly consists of a maze of narrow alleys lined by houses, shops, mosques and bazaars. Traditional buildings have long balustrades. Another key feature of most buildings are the finely decorated wooden doors with rich carvings, bas-reliefs and brass studs of Indian tradition. Stone benches dot most of the buildings which are used as barazas for men to relax and socialise.

Attractions

Fort Jesus

Main article: Fort Jesus

The Portuguese Fort Jesus is located in the Old Town, and is Mombasa's most popular tourist attraction.

See also

• Changamwe
• Bamburi
• Kipevu

Sources

• MombasaInfo (2009a), Old Town, MombasaInfo, archived from the original on 17 March 2016, retrieved 4 April 2009
• MombasaInfo (2009b), Fort Jesus, MombasaInfo, archived from the original on 14 April 2009, retrieved 4 April 2009
• Planetware (2011), The Old Town Description, Richmond Hill, Ontario: PlanetWare, inc., retrieved 24 January 2011
• UNESCO (2011a), "Mombasa Old Town", World Heritage Convention, United Nations: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, retrieved 24 January 2011
• UNESCO (2011b), "Fort Jesus", World Heritage Convention, United Nations: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, retrieved 24 January 2011