Fort Jesus Museum, Portuguese coastal fort in Mombasa, Kenya
Fort Jesus Museum is a Portuguese fortification built on a coral ridge at the harbor entrance in Mombasa, featuring thick stone walls and Renaissance military design. The structure contains multiple chambers, exhibition spaces, and courtyards that show how it was built to withstand attack.
An Italian architect designed this fort in 1593 for the Portuguese to protect their trade routes to India and control the East African coast. The structure changed hands several times over the following centuries as different powers fought for control of the harbor.
The museum displays objects collected from the region over centuries, showing how African, Arab, Turkish, Persian, and European traders and settlers left their mark here. Walking through the rooms, you can see how many different groups moved through this harbor and left traces of their presence.
You can walk through the fort and climb the towers for views of the harbor, which is most comfortable in the early morning or late afternoon. Bring water and sun protection, as the outer walls offer little shade, but the interior chambers provide relief from the heat.
During a conflict between Omani and Portuguese forces, this fort endured one of history's longest sieges between 1696 and 1698. The two years of fighting left marks on the walls that you can still see when you visit today.
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