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Cultural Heritage of ZanzibarStone Town

Conservation & Development of StoneTown

Issa S. MakaraniSTCDA,

23rd July 2007

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Geography

• The stone Town ofZanzibar is located atlatitude 5o 22’’Slongitude 930 18’’ E inwestern IndianOcean, 49km offMainland

• Total surface area ofthe Island 1,464km2

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Zanzibar Island

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Background

• Zanzibar historic townoriginated as fishingvillage at Shanganipeninsular at twelfthcentury A.D

• Later transformed toSwahili town withcraftsmanship andmaritime trade

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Monsoon winds

• Northeast monsoonwinds facilitated thevoyages bringingtraders from Arabianpeninsular andPersian Gulf to EastAfrica and Back

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Site Setting

• The town of Zanzibargrew at the westerntip of triangularpeninsular whichprojects into Zanzibarchannel about halfway down the island’swestern coastline.This peninsular wasseparated by a creek

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Climate» Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

• Average Temp. oF 81 81 81 79 79 77 75 75 77 77 79 81

• Average Temp. oC 27 27 27 26 26 25 24 24 25 25 26 27

• Rains inches 3 3 5 10 10 2 2 2 2 3 9 6

• Rains in millimetres 28 66 138 249 249 62 45 43 51 88 220 158

• Days rains 7 6 12 14 14 4 5 6 6 7 14 12

• Hours of sun daily 8 8 7 6 6 8 8 8 8 8 8 8

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Early Efforts for Conservation

• Due to potential lossof the valuablepatrimony, in 1982The Government ofZanzibar sought thehelp of UNCHSHabitat to set thestrategy forconservation of theStone Town

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Conservation Plan

• In 1994 a plan for theHistoric Town wasapproved

• Act no 3 of 1994 forestablishment of theStone TownConservation andDevelopmentAuthority

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World Heritage Status

• In 2000 the Stone Town was Inscribed into the World Heritage Listunder the following criterion

• ii – The Stone Town of Zanzibar is an outstanding materialmanifestation of cultural fusion and harmonization

• iii – For many centuries there was intense seaborne trading activitybetween Asia and Africa, and this is illustrated in anexceptional manner by the architecture and urban structure ofStone Town

• iv – Zanzibar has great symbolic importance in the suppression ofslavery, since it was one of the main slave-trading ports in EastAfrica and also the base from which its opponents such asDavid Livingstone conducted their campaign

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History and Architecture

• Originally houses built was mud and wattlecovered with palm leaves

• In 1830 during reign of Sultan of Oman inZanzibar stone buildings were built

• Characterized by narrow streets

• Decorative street furniture and lights

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Earlier Stone Town Architeture

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Arabic Influenced architecture

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Indian Influenced Architecture

• Plenty of decorativeelements

• Balcony, fretworks

• Indian commercialdoors

• Bazaar streets

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Swahili house

• Majority of Africaorigin

• Single storey house

• Entrance with bench“BARAZA” for men

• Open court yardmainly for womenactivities

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European Influenced Architecture

• Specious building

• Internal built inbalcony

• Semi and privateopen spaces

• Mixed use ofmaterials

• Wider streets

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Religious Values

• Pre-revolutionary,Stone Townemphasizes the multiethnic character

• Two Christianchurches

• Hindu Temples

• 50 Mosques in ST

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Anglican Church

Hindu Temple

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Symbolic Value

• Banyan Tree sign ofspiritual values

• Slave trade route, TipTippu, Anglicanchurch, Old Fort

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Others

• Aesthetic Value

• Archaeological value

• Touristic Value

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Intangible Aspect

• Social Gatherings andactivities

• Traditional dances,taraab

• Famous Islamicfestivities along eastAfrica “Maulid yahome”

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Towards digital age…..