ZANZIBAR UNVEILED

An Illustrated History of the Zanzibar Islands.

Unguja, Pemba, Tumbatu.

    "Islands that lie a jewel in the lap of Africa"

Located just off the coast of East Africa, the main islands of ZANZIBAR are Unguja, Pemba and Tumbatu.

Stone Town, on the western shore of Unguja Island, is the Capital of this region. The city gained its name from the many large multi-story "stone" buildings that fill the old town area. These structures are actually constructed with coral and mortar, not stone.

There are currently about 1,700 of these buildings in the Stone Town section of Zanzibar City. Over 1,000 of these have been classified as having architectural significance. In this small area, which was originally a narrow peninsula, almost an island at times, there are 23 "landmark buildings", two cathedrals, over 50 Mosques, 157 balconies, verandas and loggias and more than 200 carved doors.

Zanzibar's Stone Town has been designated a "World Heritage Site" by the United Nations.

 

 

It has been said about Zanzibar that the islands have too little geopgraphy and too much history.

Please enjoy these sample pages of that long history.