Fort Jesus

A World Heritage Site

1
 Foreword Acknowledgements
Copyright @ National Museums of Kenya

All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy, or

transmission of this publication may be made without In realizing this project, we wish to extend our
written permission from the copyright holder. sincere gratitude to UNESCO, Eastern Africa
Nairobi office for providing the required funds
and, in particular, we want to sincerely thank
Neither the National Museums of Kenya nor the editors Ms. Judy Ogana, the Culture Programme
can be held responsible for errors or any consequences Officer for facilitating the process. We further
arising from the use of information contained in this wish to express our appreciation to the Project
publication. The views and opinions expressed do not Coordinator, Dr. Purity Kiura, Chief Research
necessary reflect those of the National Museums of Kenya Scientist- Heritage & Culture and the Supervisor
or the editors. Mr. Athman Hussein, Keeper Heritage -Coastal
Region. Special gratitude to the National
Museums of Kenya Management including the
Published in December 2022 by: Acting Director-General Mr. Stanvas Ongalo and
the Director of Antiquities Sites & Monuments,
Dr. Fredrick Manthi. Moreover, we want
National Museums of Kenya appreciate the efforts of Ms. Fatma Twahir, the
Directorate of Antiquities, Sites & Monuments Principal Curator of Fort Jesus Museum who
P.O. Box 40658-00100 is also the Site Manager of this World Heritage
Nairobi, Kenya Site for her contributions to the success of this
booklet.
This printing of this booklet was supported by
UNESCO Finally, we want to thank Mr. Mohamed Zein
for designing the book, Mr. Maarufu Mohamed
and Mr. Steve Okoko for providing the wonderful
photographs, Mr. Raphael Abdulmajid Igombo
for writing the photo captions and Dr. Kalandar
Khan for editing the booklet.

2 3
 Preface
Contents Kiura W. Purity, PhD
Lamu Old Town and Fort Jesus World Heritage
Chief Research sites are both cultural sites with attributes
Scientist-Heritage, mainly related to architectural design, use and
Foreword..........................................................2 National Museums of function that show unique form and design,
Kenya and materials and substance, traditions, techniques
Coordinator, and management systems, location and setting,
Lamu Old Town language, dance and other forms of intangible
Acknowledgements...........................................3 Booklet Project heritage, just to mention a few.

UNESCO and the National Museums of Kenya

(NMK) are working towards prudent management
Preface.............................................................5 of these sites and the publication of this
booklet is one of the efforts towards this. This
Kenya’s National Heritage is manifested in its booklet underscores the two parties, objectives
rich natural, cultural and pre-historic wealth in creating awareness and promoting Lamu
About Fort Jesus..........................................6-36 and diversity. This diverse heritage constitutes a Old Town site to the public for its prosperity.
national asset and has a bearing on the progress “For it is in the people that the power of
of the nation’s development. Among thousands of heritage conservation is manifested. It also is
Kenya’s heritage sites are seven (7) inscribed on in the people that culture and heritage can be
Museum Gallery.........................................37-55 the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.These embraced for knowledge and social economic
sites include Lake Turkana National Parks, gains”.
Mount Kenya National Park and Forest, Lamu
Old Town, the Sacred Mijikenda Kaya Forests,the UNESCO and NMK are therefore focussed to
The Old Town of Mombasa.........................56-65 Kenya Lake System in the Great Rift Valley (Lake continue to work together and this booklet
Bogoria, Lake Nakuru and LakeElementaita), comes at an opportune time when the need for
Fort Jesus, Mombasa and Thimlich Ohinga awareness and protection beckons in the wake
archaeological site. These sites and stand out of the very many threats facing our heritage
The Mombasa Old Town Architecture.........66-99 for their special cultural and natural attributes as a result such issues as climate change,
which constitute their Outstanding Universal developments and many others.
Values (OUVs) specific to each one of them.
“A people without a past, is a people without a
soul” (Sir Seretse Khama).
4 5
 About Fort Jesus
Fort Jesus Mombasa is not only a World Heritage being with the head, the body, the legs and the
Site, but also one of Kenya’s flagship monuments stretched hands. As Fort Jesus was built during the
under the National Museums of Kenya. It is an Renaissance era, its human body shape comes as no
exceptional symbol of an interchange of cultural surprise as it was during that era that there was a lot
values and influences between and among people of of interest on the human body, hence the shape of
African, Arab, Asian, Turkish, Persian and European Fort Jesus as a human body.
origins, whose lives have been touched by the
presence and role of this imposing structure. Built The plan of the Fort consists of a central court with
by the Portuguese at the end of the 16th century and bastions in the four corners and a rectangular gun
used by them for over 100 years, Fort Jesus bears platform facing the sea. It was designed in such a way
testimony of the first successful attempt by western that it was virtually impregnable during any siege and
civilization to control the Indian Ocean routes which it included basic facilities such as barracks, chapel,
had remained under Eastern influence over several cistern, a well and the Captain’s house all covering
millennia. an area of 2 acres. All these except the cistern, the
L-shaped building at St. Matias and the kitchen were
The Fort was used by various world powers as a destroyed in the course of the 18th century and are
stronghold to safeguard their interest along the East now survived by ruins.
African coast. In this way, Fort Jesus was at the
centre of the then emerging political, commercial The Fort is encapsulated by the legendary Old Town
and cultural globalization. In the process, the Fort of Mombasa which also forms part of the Fort buffer
experienced conflicts between diverse peoples and zone. Mombasa is one of the important Swahili
powers that converged there however it has managed settlements in the East African coast that dates back
to retain much of its features since its construction before the arrival of Islam in the 7th Century. Many
in the 16th century. travelers, like ibn Batuta mentioned in their records
about the lifestyle and architecture of the town.
Fort Jesus was designed by the Italian architect,
Cairatto. The plan itself took the shape of a human

6 7
 1. 14th century AD British cannons on display 2. 14th century AD British cannons on display
in the Fort. in the Fortress.

8 9
 3. Gun platform with cannons facing the Old Port of
Mombasa.
4. St. Mateus Bastion

10 11
 5. Main entrance of Fort Jesus

6. Main Entrance to Fort Jesus. Outer walls were built to

protect the town from outside invaders.

12 13
 7. Remains of the Portuguese chapel in the
foreground with the cistern and water well at the back. 8. Remains of the Portuguese chapel.

14 15
 9. A canon at the main entrance of
Fort Jesus.

10. Fort Jesus showing the entrance to the Old Harbour

of Mombasa.

16 17
 11. The Captain’s House: This was the official residence
of all the Portuguese captains that lived in the Fort. The
location of the Captain’s House may have been deliberately
located in close proximity to the watch towers, from where
warnings of imminent attack could be communicated 12. The Captain’s house
quickly to the Captain. Another hypothesis is that it was
placed in an elevated position in relation to the barracks to
emphasize the commanding position of the Captain.
18 19
 13. Watchtower overlooking the
main entrance into Fort Jesus.

14. The inner part of the main

entrance of Fort Jesus. 15. The Portuguese water cistern: The Portuguese built the cistern in
1603 because the people of old town were not friendly to them and not
very cooperative in allowing the Portuguese to collect water from their
wells. The cistern collected water from the roofs of the Chapel, the
barracks and other buildings. The water was collected into the cistern
in covered drains.
20 21
 17. This is referred to as the gateway which accessed the
sea besides the entrance to the Fort. The cannons are
displayed to signify the protection to the gateway. 18. The Moat: As an integral part of the Fort, it was
dug as a defence mechanism to protect the Fort from
external attack by increasing the height of the wall.

22 23
 20. Court of Arms of Mateus Mendes de
Vasconcelos, the first Captain of Mombasa.

19. Portuguese inscription at the entrance of the Fort:

The Inscription recorded the construction of the gate
and achievements and honours of Francisco de Seixas
Cabeira, Captain of the Coast from 1635 to 1639.

24 25
 21. Exhibition gallery in the central court of 22. Remains of the Portuguese chapel on the foreground
Fort Jesus. with the cistern and the water well in the back.

26 27
 23. After 1850s, Omani doors were very
common, and their carved inscriptions were
usually replaced by floral patterns. A good
example of these doors could be seen at
Zanzibar Custom Office’s door, dating back
to 1860. Later, the step of door had various
designs and the patterns of palmetto was
replaced with floral patterns. The sign of
these doors also was simplified so that many
of them are seen in the houses of the public.

It is well known in the traditions of the

Omani doors industry that they had a thick
square-shape frame with a square-shape
crown and two shutters with a central pill
installed in one of the two shutters. Omani
doors found in East Africa were long in
height and installed to be opened toward
the interior side. These characteristics are
also found in the original doors seen in some
Omani towns like Sur and Muscat. It is not
difficult to identify an Omani door since the
same pattern is used repeatedly.
Although the doors are different from each
other in regard to the use and distribution of
the carved patterns, they resemble in their
use and repeated pattern.

24. Gun platform

28 29
 26. Staircase heading to the gunpowder room

25. The Omani House was built in the late 18th century, but was altered
when the British turned the Fort into a prison. The Omani House served as
the Chief Warder’s house. It showcases an exhibition gallery divided into
three sections depicting interactions of the Omani and the East African
coast in terms of trade and religion, the cultural attire of the Omani men
and women and the current Omani infrastructure development and their
international relations.
30 31
 27. Passage of the arches

28. Passage of the arches seen from below.

32 33
 30. The football turf which was part of the sea wall project that
29. The Fort’s outer walls. They were built to protect the
was constructed to mitigate on the climate change impacts of
town from outside invaders.
the sea level rise and erosion of the Fort Jesus wall by the strong
sea waves. The football pitch is used by the community for local
tournaments and training.
34 35
 31. Created from reclaimed land to protect the seaward
side of the Fort from sea erosion, the garden presents a
picturesque venue for social and recreational activities.
The landscape comprises of walking paths, benches for 32. The Fort Jesus recreational park.
sitting, dedicated children’s playing space and a unique
representation of coastal indigenous plant species
that are a beauty to behold. They provide shade at
various places.
36 37
 Museum Gallery
The collection consists of ceramics; Chinese porcelain,
Persian and Portuguese glazed ware. Local and foreign
earthenware excavated at Swahili sites on the coast or
acquired in Mombasa. It represents the cosmopolitan
culture which has been enjoyed at the coast for
more than a thousand years. It houses the Mombasa
shipwreck exhibitions and the Baluchi exhibition that
narrates the coming of the Baluchis to East Africa; their
cultural influence, their attire and unique artefacts.

33. The interior of the Fort Jesus Museum main gallery

with tourists viewing the artefacts on display.

38 39
 34. Exhibits of the artefacts at the main gallery of Fort 35. The Baluch Gallery launched by the collaboration of
Jesus that were excavated in 1977 from the Mombasa the Baluchi community in Mombasa, National Museums
shipwreck. The wreckage was of a Portuguese ship of Kenya and the Asian African Heritage Trust. It
known as “Santo Antonio de Tanna”. narrates the story of the coming of the Baluchis to East
Africa, their cultural influence, their attire and unique
artefacts.
40 41
 36. Beautiful art pieces and artefacts inside the Baluch 37. Beautiful art pieces and artefacts inside the Baluch
Gallery at Fort Jesus. Gallery at Fort Jesus.

42 43
 38. Baluch exhibition showing weaving and pottery 39. Baluch women wear an assortment of gold and
handcrafts done by old women. The architecture silver jewellery including rings, necklaces, bracelets
represents the traditional construction of Forts in and hair ornaments.
Baluchistan.

44 45
 41. Weapons: Swords and shields of the
Omanis at the Mazrui Gallery.

40. The Mazrui Hall in the historic Fort Jesus was used
as an audience room during the Mazrui leadership on
behalf of the Sultan.

46 47
 42. Inside the Mazrui Hall is a ‘baraza’ or a stone bench 43. Beautiful art pieces and artefacts with Quranic
where rulers used to sit and discuss issues affecting verses inscribed inside the Mazrui Hall at Fort Jesus.
the sultanate. The red cushions with the Arabian fabric
were all brought by the Omani Arabs.

48 49
 44. Portuguese wall paintings at Fort Jesus. The 45. The Portuguese inscriptions on a stone placed
drawings were transferred from the wall next to the above the inner part of the main entrance.
room where they are displayed. The drawings were
done by the Portuguese soldiers during the two and a
half years of the siege of Fort Jesus in 1698.

50 51
 46. The Omani house was built in the
late 18th century, but has been altered
during the colonial period when the Fort
was used as a prison and the house served
as the Chief Warder’s house. It currently
showcases an exhibition gallery divided into
three sections depicting interactions of the
Omani and the East African coast in terms
of trade and religion, the cultural attire of
the Omani men and women and the current
Omani infrastructure development and their
international relations.

47. Timber balustrades and seats at the Omani house

verandah located immediately after the staircase to the
gallery.

52 53
 49. A Zanzibar styled door at the
entrance of Baluch gallery at Fort Jesus.

50. The timber door

that has inscriptions of
the British East African
Protectorate proclamation
on 1895 and the name of
the first commissioner “
A.H. Harding”.

48. The third section of the Omani house exhibition

showing the infrastructure, education, irrigation
system and the recently constructed Sultan Qaboos
mosque in Oman and other palaces and castles.

54 55
 The Old Town of Mombasa
The Old Town of Mombasa is one of the important
historic settlements on the Eastern coast of Africa.
Sailors from the Far East would depend on the
monsoon winds known to them for centuries for travel
purposes. The Old Town architecture reflects a variety
of influences such as African, Indian, Arabian and
European architectural elements.

As a medieval town, the Old Town of Mombasa is

divided into Mitaa or wards defined by lineage and
kinship with noticeable features like the winding
narrow alleyways, protected by overhanging timber
balconies. Many houses also feature the Baraza or
the stone benches on their front façades for people
to relax and enjoy the outdoor breeze. The intricately
carved timber doors and the shuttered windows for
bringing light and ventilation into the interior of the
houses as well as ensuring privacy for the women of the
household are other architecturalelements evident in
the Old Town of Mombasa.

51. A view of Fort Jesus and its environs from the

Indian ocean.

56 57
 52. Arabian and Iranian timber ships docked at the Old Harbour of
Mombasa. The timber ships would traverse the Indian ocean during 53. The Old Port of Mombasa
the booming Indian Ocean maritime trade that would sail all the way
from the Persian Gulf, the Indian Peninsula to the East African coast
and Mozambique on the further south.
58 59
 54. Architectural evolution from the ancient Fort Jesus to modern 55. Modern buildings at the seafront of Mombasa near
buildings built along the Indian Ocean. to the Old Port.

60 61
 56. A traditional sail boat cruises through the creek 57. A wooden engine boat docked at Mombasa’s
next to Fort Jesus. These are used by the local Old Port. These boats transport goods such as salt,
community for fishing in the shallow sea of the Indian dried fish and tamarind among others between the
Ocean. neighbouring coastal ports.
62 63
 59. A local fisherman holding a huge lobster
“Jumbo” in his hand.

58. A carpenter works on a piece of carving of the

timber bed head-board with beautiful flowers influenced
by Omani and Indian art.

64 65
 The Mombasa Old
Town Architecture
This section showcases typical houses within
the Old Town of Mombasa. The buildings are
conveniently located opposite each other and
separated by narrow streets. They are a mix of
old Arabian, Portuguese, old British and Asian
architectural designs, characterized by raised
balconies, wooden windows, large Arabian doors
and white coral walls.

60. Mandhry mosque in Old Town, Mombasa. This is

one of the earliest mosques in Mombasa that dates
back to 14th Century, built about 50 years before Fort
Jesus was built.
66 67
 61. A single storey Mombasa traditional house with a
62. A busy street in the Old Town of Mombasa.
carved timber balcony of Indian influence.

68 69
 63. Two-storey apartments with timber windows in the 64. A white-washed two-storey residential building in
Old Town of Mombasa. Old Town with timber balconies that show the Indian
architectural influence.
70 71
 66. Buildings with timber balconies
constructed using the Arabic style
architecture.

67. The street facade of the Old Town of Mombasa.

72 73
 68. People walk through a narrow street in
the Old Town of Mombasa.

69. A whitewashed single storey Swahili building with a

carved timber balcony.

74 75
 70. Locals strolling through the streets of
the Old Town of Mombasa.

71. A man walks into a house through a timber

staircase with intricate Arabic decorations.

76 77
 72. The street facade of Old Town of Mombasa

73. Shop bazaar along the street of Old Town of Mombasa.

78 79
 74. Cars parked along the narrow streets of the Old 75. Cars parked along the narrow streets of the Old Town
Town of Mombasa. of Mombasa.

80 81
 76. Intricate details of Indian architecture.
Carved timber balconies with beautiful
decorations.

77. Intricate details of the Swahili architecture with timber

balconies.

82 83
 78. A street leading into Old Town of Mombasa from 79. A street leading into the Old Town of Mombasa.
Fort Jesus.

84 85
 80. A street leading into Old Town of Mombasa from 82. A Street leading into the Old Town of Mombasa.
Fort Jesus.

86 87
 83. The Africa Hotel building was the first
hotel in Kenya. It started operating in 1901.
It was built in traditional Arabic, Indian and
Swahili architecture. It is now a residential
building and also operates as a local school.

84. The Basheikh Mosque in Mombasa is one of the oldest

documented mosque in Kenya. It was built in the 1300s.

88 89
 85. A narrow alleyway or Kitotoro in the Old
Town of Mombasa.

86. A view of a contemporary Swahili building. The building

has a stone exterior, a timber balcony with Mashrabiya
carvings and windows.

90 91
 88. Gujerati Style Doors in one of the Old town
of Mombasa house - This is an Indian-style door
originating in Cutch and brought from there by
traders who settled at end of the 19th century.
These doors were generally made of teak and
imported from India.

87. Many houses have beautifully carved

timber doors at their entrance. The carved
wooden door is an important piece of
ornamentation in the facade and reflects the
owner’s wealth and social importance.

92 93
 89. A carved door made of mahogany. These
doors are common in the Old Town of
Mombasa.

90. Carved wooden windows with metallic window

grilles.

94 95
 92. This marks where the water well was
situated next to Mandhry mosque which
is one of the earliest built mosques in
Mombasa. The water well provided water to
the faithfulls praying at Mandry Mosque for
ablution purposes before the performance of
prayers.

93. This was the first Customs Office that served during
the time of the operation of the Old Harbour of Mombasa.
The Restaurant has maintained the name “Forodhani”
(harbour) and serves seafoods among contemporary dishes.
It was situated next to the First Post Office in the country
and the Government Square.
96 97
 95. A coffee pot, Buli - a representation of an old kettle
made of brass that originated from the Middle East. The
94. A modern representation of the architectural Buli renders a metaphor of a shared cup of coffee and its
features of the Old town - along the seafront of significance in bringing people together. This was designed
Mombasa. with an intention to decorate the round-about and bring
the feeling of the local culture of drinking coffee in the
evening in a very relaxed mood.
98 99
100