THE SPICE OF LIFE
It may not have a particularly romantic name, but Stone Town, is the old city and cultural heart of Zanzibar, little changed in the last 200 years. It is a place of winding
alleys, bustling bazaars, mosques and grand Arab houses whose extravagance is reflected in their brass-studded, carved, wooden doors. The National Museum is a good
starting point for finding out more of the history and culture of Zanzibar. It opened in 1925 and contain relics from the time of the Sultans and the early explorers, as well as traditional carvings and exhibits of local wildlife, including
a good collection of birds and reptiles. Visitors can also see
Livingstone House, where the Scottish explorer lived for three months in 1866 gathering supplies for the expedition which was to turn out as his last. Another “must” is the House of Wonders, with its pillars, fretted balconies and intricately carved doors. It was built by Sultan Barghash in 1883. and was occupied by the British in 1911 when the Sultan moved to the less pretentious palace, now called the People’s Palace on the other side of the street.

Next to the House of Wonders is the Old Fort, built on the site of a Portuguese church when the Arabs took over the island. Another impressive, ornate building is the
Itnaasheri Dispensary
which has recently undergone much needed restoration work. At the centre of Stone Town are the Persianstyled
Hamamni Baths, built at the command of Sultan Barghash at the end of the 19th century. Nearby is the Cathedral
Church of Christ, completed in 1879 on the site of an pen slave market, it contains much of historical interest. Echoes of Zanzibar’s more sinister past are to be found in Tippu ip House, built for a notorious slave and ivory trader, Hamad bin Muhammad el-Marjab. The site of a former slave pit is to be found nearby in Kelele Square.