Unguja, also known as Zanzibar Island, is the main island in the Tanzanian archipelago of Zanzibar.
Unguja, also known as Zanzibar Island, is the main island in the Tanzanian archipelago of Zanzibar. Stone Town, part of Zanzibar City, is an old shopping mall with mosques and baths. The 1883 House of Wonders is a former Sultan’s palace with a clock tower. The old fort now houses a cultural center and a stone amphitheater. Underground aqueducts were supplying hot water to the Hamamni Persian baths of the late 19th century.
1. Old Fort of Zanzibar
The Old Fort, also known as the Arab Fort and by other names, is a fortification located in Stone Town, the capital of Zanzibar. It is the oldest building and a major visitor attraction of Stone Town. It is located on the main seafront, adjacent to another landmark building of the city, the House of Wonders, and facing the Forodhani Gardens.
2. Darajani Market
The Darajani Market is the main bazaar in Stone Town, Zanzibar. It is also known as Estella Market and informally as Marikiti Kuu. The market is located in Darajani Road, in the surroundings of the Anglican Cathedral of Christ. The main structure of the market was built in 1904 by Bomanjee Maneckjee, for Sultan Ali bin Hamud. It was later extended and restored. Darajani Bazaar is mainly a food market, but there are also shops selling a number of different goods, from consumer electronics to clothing.
3. Sultan’s Palace
The Sultan’s Palace, Bait As-Sahel was destroyed in the Anglo Zanzibar war of 1896, is one of the main historical buildings of Stone Town, Zanzibar, Tanzania. It is a 3-story building with merlon-decorated white walls, located in Mizingani Road, on the seafront, between the House of Wonders and the Old Dispensary. The palace was built in the late 19th century to serve as a residence for the Sultan’s family. After the Zanzibar Revolution, in 1964 it was formally renamed to People’s Palace and used as a government seat. In 1994, it became a museum about the Zanzibari royal family and history.
4. Ithnashiri Dispensary
The Old Dispensary, also known as Ithnashiri Dispensary, is a historical building in Stone Town, Zanzibar. It is located on the seafront, in Mizingani Road, halfway between the Palace Museum and the harbor. It owes its name to the fact that it served as a dispensary in the first half of the 20th century. The Dispensary is one of the most finely decorated buildings of Stone Town and a symbol of the multi-cultural architecture and heritage of the city. Its wooden carved balconies, with stained glass decorations, are of Indian influence; the main structure is built with traditional Zanzibari coral rag and limestone but covered with stucco adornments of European neo-classical taste.
5. Hamamni Persian Baths
The Hamamni Persian Baths are located in a historical building of Stone Town, Zanzibar. The name Hamamni is also used to refer to the neighborhood where the building is located. The Baths were built between 1870 and 1888 for Sultan Barghash bin Said for use as public baths and maintained this function until 1920. They are referred to as “Persian” because their construction was commissioned to Shirazi architects. The word “Hamamni” means “the place of the baths”. The building had a complex structure with several rooms, including hot and cold baths, toilets, shaving areas, and a restaurant. Hot water was provided by underground aqueducts.