Stone Town: the architecture of a trading port

A town built from the sea

Stone Town is the old centre of Zanzibar City and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Most of its houses date from the nineteenth century, when Zanzibar was the capital of the Omani sultanate and the main trading port of the East African coast.

The buildings are made from coral rag, a porous coral stone, bound with lime mortar and finished with lime plaster. The material stays cool, but it needs constant upkeep in salt air and heavy rain, which is why many buildings look worn.

Why the lanes are narrow

The lanes are narrow and winding on purpose. Tall houses shade the streets and funnel sea breezes through the town. Most lanes are too narrow for cars, which is part of why the old town has kept its character.

The doors

Stone Town is known for its carved wooden doors. There are several styles:

• Omani, or Arab, doors are rectangular, with a heavy carved frame and a lintel often carrying a verse from the Qur’an.
• Indian doors often have rounded tops and are studded with brass bosses.
• Swahili doors combine elements of both.

Carvings often include chains, representing security, or lotus and date palm motifs, representing prosperity. A carved door was a statement of the owner’s standing, and it was often made before the house.

Baraza benches

Many houses have a stone bench, the baraza, built along the front wall. It is where neighbours sit in the evening to talk, play board games and drink coffee, and it is still in daily use.

The slave market site

The Anglican Cathedral stands on the site of the slave market that closed in 1873. The memorial and the underground chambers below the neighbouring building are a necessary part of understanding the town’s wealth and history.

Questions we get asked