Fort Jesus
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UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
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Location | Mombasa, Kenya |
Criteria | Cultural: ii, v |
Reference | 1295 |
Inscription | 2011 (35th Session) |
Area | 2.36 ha |
Buffer zone | 31 ha |
Coordinates | 4°03′46″S 39°40′47″E / 4.06278°S 39.67972°E |
History of Kenya |
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Kenya portal |
Fort Jesus (
Cairati, the designer of the fort, was inspired by Italian architect
Fort Jesus was captured and recaptured at least nine times between 1631, when the Portuguese lost it to Sultan
Fort Jesus was declared a national museum in 1958. In 2011, it was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and highlighted as one of the most outstanding and well-preserved examples of 16th-century Portuguese military fortifications.[2] The fort is Mombasa's most visited tourist attraction.
Overview
Between 1631 and 1875, the fort was won and lost nine times by the nations contesting control of Kenya. The Omanis took the fort in 1698 after a
The fort was designed by a
The architecture of the fort represents the rough outline of a person lying on their back, with their head towards the sea. The height of the walls is 18 meters. The original Portuguese fort had a height of 15 meters, but the Oman Arabs added 3 meters upon capturing the fort.[6]
The fort combines Portuguese, Arab, and British elements (these being the major powers that held it at different times in history). The Portuguese and British presence is preserved in the presence of their respective cannons. The Portuguese cannons had a range of 200 meters and were longer than the British cannons, which had a range of 300 meters. Oman Arabs marked their occupancy with numerous inscriptions from the Koran on the wooden door posts and ceiling beams. The Muslim tradition of five pillars is also portrayed throughout the fort, with a former meeting hall supported by five stone pillars to the ceiling.
Some of the historical structures still standing in the fort include Oman House, which was the house of the sultan who governed the East African coast. Others are an open water cistern by the Portuguese for harvesting rainwater, and a 76-foot deep well sunk by the Arabs (but its water was too salty to be used for anything but washing).
The fort was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 2011.[7][8]
Fort Jesus today
Fort Jesus is now a popular destination for foreign and local tourists. As well as a tourist destination, the fort is important as a host for numerous research programs, a Conservation Lab, an Education Department, and an Old Town Conservation Office.
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The outer wall
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Building inside the fort
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Windows of the inner buildings
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Juxtaposition of decayed and survived
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Obvious influence of Portuguese architecture
References
- ISBN 9780521479585. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
- ^ a b "Fort Jesus, Mombasa". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
- ^ Mwakio, Philip. "Mombasa's Fort Jesus could soon fall into the sea, warns agency". The Standard. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
- ^ Gilbert, Erik, and Jonathan T. Reynolds. Africa in World History: From Prehistory to Present. New Jersey: Pearson Education, 2008, p. 225
- ^ a b Kirkman, J. 1974. Fort Jesus: A Portuguese Fortress on the East African Coast Clarendon Press: Oxford
- ^ Onjoro, Veronica N. "IN MY TOWN FORT JESUS MOMBASA".
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(help) - ^ "UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Kenya | TripLegend". 17 May 2022. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
- ^ The story of Fort Jesus - UNESCO & KTB, retrieved 4 September 2023