Old Fort of Zanzibar, 17th-century stone fortification in Stone Town, Tanzania.
The Old Fort is a 17th-century stone fortification in Stone Town featuring high brown walls with defensive merlons surrounding a spacious courtyard. Inside the yard stand remnants of an earlier Portuguese church that became part of the fort's structure.
It was built between 1698 and 1701 by Omani Arabs after they expelled Portuguese forces from the island. This construction marked a major shift in regional power and control of trade networks.
An open-air amphitheater inside the fort hosts performances and cultural events throughout the year, becoming a gathering place for the community and visitors. The space shows how this historical structure adapts to serve modern artistic and social needs.
The site is located on Mzingani Road near the House of Wonders and easily accessible on foot from the main streets. Inside you will find tourist information services, shops selling local crafts and spices, and shaded areas to rest during your visit.
The structure incorporates pieces of a Portuguese church from 1612 into the walls of the inner courtyard, creating a physical record of successive occupations. These layers demonstrate how each group of rulers reused materials from those who came before.
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