Old Fort of Zanzibar: An Omani Fort in Stone Town
Site at a Glance
- Rating
- 4.3
- Popularity
- Medium
- Country
- Tanzania
- Primary era
- Early Modern
- Eras represented
- Early Modern, Modern
- Civilizations
- British, Omani, Portuguese
- Site type
- Military
- Remains
- Fort
On this page6 sections
History
The Old Fort of Zanzibar is an Omani fort built in 1699 in Stone Town, Zanzibar, Tanzania, after the Portuguese were expelled. It is the oldest building in Stone Town. Also called the Arab Fort, it is known in Swahili as Ngome Kongwe (“Old Fort”) and Boma la Kale la Zanzibar (“Old Fort of Zanzibar”).
Garrison and railway service
During the nineteenth century, the fort served as a garrison, prison, and barracks. In the early twentieth century, it became a depot for construction of the railway connecting Stone Town with Bububu. From 1905 to 1928, it also served as a railway terminal.
Later adaptations
A new guardhouse was built in 1947 and later used as a women’s club. The inner courtyard was adapted as a cultural centre, and the fort now serves as the headquarters and a venue for the Zanzibar International Film Festival. It forms part of Stone Town’s UNESCO World Heritage Site, a program recognizing places of outstanding universal cultural or natural value.
Remains
Fort layout and waterfront setting
The fort stands on Stone Town’s main waterfront, beside the House of Wonders, formerly a palace of the Sultan of Zanzibar, a sovereign ruler in some Muslim states. Forodhani Gardens lies opposite it. The fort has a square plan, with high brown walls enclosing an inner courtyard. Raised sections of the battlements, called merlons, are separated by openings.
Courtyard remains and amphitheatre
The courtyard contains remains of a Portuguese church and a separate, earlier Omani fortification. The complex also includes an open-air amphitheatre, added in the 1990s.
