Zanzibar
Zanzibar is part of the East African republic of Tanzania. Zanzibar is the finest beach location in East Africa. Zanzibar is one of the world’s most wonderful and beautiful islands.
It’s an archipelago made up of Unguja (Zanzibar) and Pemba Islands, and several small islands. Zanzibar is the best site for diving.
Zanzibar Island is located in Indian Ocean, It is just 40 km. away from the Tanzanian. Zanzibar Island (also known as Unguja) is 96 km long and 32 km wide, covered a total area of approx. 1040 square km.
Zanzibar Island has beautiful sandy beaches coral reefs and the magic of historic Stone Town – the only functioning ancient town in East Africa.
Stone Town
Stone Town was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The site has been occupied for around three centuries with buildings only being constructed with stone since the 1830s.
Two large buildings are standing at the front of Stone Town. One is Beit-El-Ajaib or the House of Wonders, built by Sultan Seyyid Barghash as a grand palace for ceremonial purposes. The other is the Arab Fort which stands on the site of a former Portuguese settlement and was converted to a fort in 18th Century.
What to watch out in Stone Town
- The Old Dispensary (now known as the Stone Town Cultural Centre),
- The market is a great place to visit even if you don’t want to buy anything.
- Livingstone’s House was built around 1860 for Sultan Majid, and was used by many of the missionaries and explorers as a starting point.
The Peace Memorial Museum is an interesting look at Zanzibar’s history. It has sections on archaeology, early trade, slavery, palaces and mosques.
The Palace Museum is a large white building with castellated battlements, and was built in the late 1890′s for members of the Sultan’s family. Originally called the Sultan’s Palace, in 1911 it became the official residence of the Sultan of Zanzibar, but following the revolution in 1964, it was renamed the Peoples’ Palace. In 1994, the palace was turned into a museum dedicated to the history of Zanzibar’s Sultans which necessitated a third change of name to the Palace Museum.
The House of Wonders is a very large square-shaped building, with several stories, surrounded by tiers of pillars and balconies, and topped by a large Clock Tower. It was the first building in Zanzibar to have electric light and an electric lift. Not surprisingly, when it was built, the local people called it Bit el Ajaib, meaning the House of Wonders. It is still one of the largest buildings in Zanzibar, and there are plans to convert it as the National Museum.
The Arab Fort is located next to the House of Wonders and was built by the Busaidi group of Omani Arabs between 1698 and 1701.