The Stunning Stone Town of Zanzibar

The Stone Town also called as Mji Mkongwe which means ‘old town’, is the historical part of Zanzibar, Tanzania which is very famous for its unique buildings that were built by using the coral stones in the 19^th century. There are approximately 1,700 buildings that are spread over many miles of the land. The town is situated on the western shore of Unguja which is the significant and the most famous part of the Zanzibar Archipelago. The island stands eminent because it remained the capital of Zanzibar, a focal point for the business of spice as well as transatlantic slave trade, due to which thousands of tourists take cheap flights to Zanzibar to keenly observe the historical heritage and momentous attractions of the area.

The major portion of the town consists of a labyrinth of very close alleys which are encircled by the mosques, bazaars, shops and houses. As many streets are extremely narrow, the main modes of transportations are the motorbikes and the bicycles. As compared to the central city, the waterfront has larger and spacious streets and an array of well-aligned houses. The stone town architecture is the blend of different cultures such as African, European, Indian, Persian and Arabian. The cultural buildings possess the Baraza- which is a large seat that lies at the exterior. The most striking feature of the buildings is that they are beautifully carved and well adorned with large brass studs and Bas-relief.

The area is well ornamented with a number of fascinating sites such as House of Wonders which is also known with the name of ‘Palace of wonders’ or ‘Beit-al-Ajaib’, located on the Mizingani Road, the most prominent monument of the city. The building was constructed in 1883 and was the first one which had the lift as well as the electricity whose interior is adorned with Zanzibar and Swahili tradition. Very adjacent to this splendid building lies the Old Fort also known as ‘Ngome Kongwe’, made up of heavy stones whose history dates back to the 17^th century. Nowadays the interior arena is used for workshops, shops and music and dance shows. In the northern side of the House of Wonders, the building of The Palace Museum is located which is also known as Sultan’s Palace or Beit el-Sahel that displays many items related to Sayyida Salme,’s life who was the princess of Zanzibar.

Another interesting spot is the Anglican cathedral that is located on the Mkunazini Road and was constructed for the Bishop Edward Steere, in the 19^th century. Besides the Tippu Tip’s House is also situated here that was used as the residence of the slave trader Tippu Tip’s. If you want to sooth your nerves and want some tranquillity just pop into the Forodhani Gardens which covers a very small piece of land but very famous for the awe-inspiring and jaw-dropping scenes of sunset and also for the market that sells grilled sea-food and mouth-watering Zanzibari recopies.

Also don’t miss other attractions like Aga Khan Mosque, David Livingstone’s House, Hamamni Persian Baths, Darajani Market, Peace Memorial Museum, and Prison Island. So get ready for an entertaining and amazing holiday experience of your life and head towards the mesmerizing stone town of Zanzibar.