Stone Town is the cultural heart of the island and the old city area of Zanzibar City, located on the western shore. The city got its name from the many big multistory buildings made of stone which form the landscape of the old town part. This buildings are actually not made of stone, but with mortar and corals. Although the corals were a good and easily available building material, they are also easily damageable. Some of the houses are in a bad shape and the Stone Town Conservation Authority co-ordinates the restorations of this houses to maintain the towns original glory.
Our first stop will be the fruit market, which opened in 1904, with its variety of tropical fruits and spices. This will be followed by visiting the Anglican Cathedral at Mkunazini, which was built in 1874 on the site of the former slave market.
The guide will tell you about the cities slave history and show you the place where slaves were auctioned. Our next stop will be the National Museum of Zanzibar, which is also referred to as the Peace Memorial Museum. The museum holds a wide collection of the island’s natural history and artifacts. Then we will walk to the Forondhani Gardens, where you will see the former British Consulate, a place where explorers such as Dr. Livingston and Stanley came for administrative matters before explorations.
We will also explore the Old Fort, which is situated few meters away, and the tallest building in Zanzibar, House of Wonders, which was built by the Sultan as a ceremonial and administrative building. With a refreshing walk in the narrow streets we will explore the old houses, most of which are older than 150 years. We will complement our trip with a visitation of Dr. Livingston House. An entry fee is required for the museum. The last stop of our excursion will be Marahubi where we will see the Ruins of Sultan Barghash’s Palace.
