Mombasa Old Town

Place in Mombasa County, Kenya

4°3′32″S 39°40′35″E / 4.05889°S 39.67639°E / -4.05889; 39.67639Country

KenyaCountyMombasa CountyConstituencyMvita ConstituencyTime zoneUTC+3 (EAT)

Old Town is an area of Mombasa, 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, Asian, Portuguese and British settlers.^[1]

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.^[1]^[2]

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.^[3]^[4]

Attractions

Fort Jesus

The Portuguese Fort Jesus is located in the Old Town, and is Mombasa's most popular tourist attraction.^[5]

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