ON THE TRAIL // SMART TRAVELLER


Zanzi�ar 1 THE OLD DISPENSARY


Start off at the Old Dispensary. Its carved balconies and stained glass windows are of Indian influence, while the main structure is traditional Zanzibari limestone adorned with neoclassical stucco decorations.


2 OLD CUSTOMS HOUSE Next, look out for the solid timber door of the Old Customs House, one of the oldest in Zanzibar. It’s a fine example of the island’s Arabic doors — richly decorated portals with an inscription from the Qur’an on the top frieze. Such Zanzibari doors are famous the world over, used to show wealth and status.


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5 HAMAMNI PERSIAN BATHS Don’t miss these late 19th-century baths, once fed by underground aqueducts. They’re no longer in use as baths, but visiting the stone complex offers an insight into what life used to be like for Stone Town’s upper classes.


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6 CHRIST CHURCH This church was built on what was the island’s largest slave market, the altar positioned over the location of the whipping post. It’s a striking mix of Gothic and Islamic details; be sure to stop and take in its unique barrel-vaulted roof. Then call in at St Monica’s Hostel nearby and visit holding cells where slaves were once imprisoned before being sold.


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3 HOUSE OF WONDERS The House of Wonders is arguably the most elegant building in Stone Town. Built in 1886, the elaborate mansion was primarily the Sultan’s residence and was the first building in East Africa to have a liſt. Admire the wedding-cake-white facades, ornate clock tower, high ceilings and wide verandas — all supported by cast-iron columns.


4 THE OLD FORT


Just across the road, this huge orange fort, topped by castellated battlements, is the oldest structure in Stone Town, built by Omani Arabs when they seized the island from the Portuguese in 1698. Catch a play at the open-air theatre, which also hosts the Zanzibar International Film Festival, and check out the Cultural Arts Gallery in one of the towers.


ARCHITECTURE TRAIL


Stone Town, the capital of this Tanzanian island, is a living monument to centuries of cultural influences, from the Persians to the Portuguese. Words: Charlotte Wigram-Evans


DID YOU KNOW? Zanzibar is often referred to as the Spice Island; cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and black pepper are grown all over the island.


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ILLUSTRATION: MARTIN HAAKE


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