St. Joseph's Cathedral, Zanzibar, Catholic cathedral in Stone Town, Tanzania

St. Joseph's Cathedral is a Catholic church in the Baghani area of Stone Town, built between 1893 and 1898 by French missionaries on the model of Marseille Cathedral, though much smaller. Its twin spires are among the easiest landmarks of the Stone Town skyline to spot from elevated places and from the ocean. The interior was painted with Old Testament scenes, destroyed by a poorly done restoration in 2014; the tiles and stained glass were imported from France.

French missionaries constructed this building between 1893 and 1898, drawing inspiration from the Cathedral of Marseille for its design. The construction took place during a period when Zanzibar was undergoing significant political change and religious institutions were expanding.

The interior walls once carried painted scenes from the Old Testament, but these were destroyed by a poorly done restoration in 2014. The stained glass windows and tiles were imported from France. Masses are still held here several times each Sunday, and occasionally on weekdays, for Zanzibar's Catholic community.

The building sits at the heart of Stone Town and is easily reached on foot from any part of the old city. The church welcomes regular visitors and worshippers, so it helps to check service times if you want to explore the interior without disruption.

A tall palm tree once stood in the narrow churchyard and appeared in most photographs of the cathedral; it was cut down at some point in the 2000s. The twin spires remain the easiest element of Stone Town's skyline to pick out from the ocean or from elevated spots such as the House of Wonders balconies.