Kenya

Fort Jesus

WHS Score 2.51
rate
Votes 28 Average 2.79
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Votes for Fort Jesus

1.0

  • Alex Marcean

2.0

  • Els Slots
  • Mihai Dascalu
  • Richardleesa
  • Solivagant
  • Stanislaw Warwas
  • Svein Elias
  • Zoë Sheng

2.5

  • Jon Opol
  • Randi Thomsen
  • Roger Ourset
  • Szucs Tamas
  • Thomas van der Walt

3.0

  • AmyAbroad
  • Ask Gudmundsen
  • Carlos Sotelo
  • David Marton
  • Eric Lurio
  • Krijn
  • shoaibmnagi

3.5

  • Albert
  • Alberto Rodriguez Gutierrez
  • Naim Y
  • Rvieira
  • Thomas Buechler

4.0

  • Dolemite92
  • Richard Stone
  • Vernon Prieto

Fort Jesus, Mombasa is a fort built by the Portuguese to control the Indian Ocean trade. It later came under Arab, Swahili and English control.

The fortress was the first European-style fort constructed outside of Europe, a new type of fortification designed to resist cannon fire and built reflecting the Renaissance ideal. Today, it is one of the finest surviving examples of 16th-century Portuguese military architecture, which was influenced and changed by both Omani Arab and British colonial powers.

Community Perspective: Worth about an hour. Your only choice to make is whether to hire a guide or not.

Site Info

Official Information
Full Name
Fort Jesus, Mombasa (ID: 1295)
Country
Kenya
Status
Inscribed 2011 Site history
History of Fort Jesus
2011: Advisory Body overruled
ICOMOS recommended Deferral - proposal needed better justification of OUV, comparative analysis and buffer zone. Nigeria proposed inscription - passed nem con!
2011: Inscribed
Inscribed
2010: Referred
2008: Incomplete - not examined
WHS Type
Cultural
Criteria
  • ii
  • iv
Links
UNESCO
whc.unesco.org
All Links
UNESCO.org
News Article

Community Information

  • Community Category
  • Secular structure: Military and Fortifications
Travel Information
No travel information
Recent Connections
View all (16) .
Connections of Fort Jesus
Geography
  • Swahili culture
    Although of Portugese origin, it has some Swahilian touches: "Decorative elements included Swahili kidaka (plastered wall niches) that ran along the east wall at a height of 1.75 meters from the floor." (link)

    See archnet.org

Trivia
  • Built or owned by Omanis
    "Having become aware of declining Portuguese control, the Omani raided their possessions on the East African coast from 1652 onwards and repeated attacks were launched until 1696 when the Omani Arabs besieged Fort Jesus, Mombasa, and eventually drove out the Portuguese." (AB ev)
  • Built or owned by Portuguese
    "Fort Jesus, Mombasa, was erected in 1593-96 to the designs of Giovanni Battista Cairati by the Portuguese when they gained control over Mombasa" (AB ev)
Architecture
  • Renaissance
    Described as Renaissance military architecture (AB ev)
  • Italian Architects outside Italy
    "Fort Jesus, Mombasa, was erected in 1593-96 to the designs of Giovanni Battista Cairati ... Cairati was an Italian military architect and engineer who designed several fortresses for the Portuguese colonies in Asia" (AB ev)
  • Coral Masonry
    Part of the original construction material (AB ev)
World Heritage Process
Human Activity
  • Sea Ports
    Because of its strategic location, Mombasa grew in importance over the centuries and soon became a major trading port ... Fort Jesus, Mombasa, was erected .. to protect its port" (AB ev)
  • Slavery
    Mombasa played an important part in the Indian Ocean Slave Trade, and the strategic Fort Jesus was involved. It is also believed that enslaved persons were kept at the Fort, both by the Omani and the British.
  • Geoglyphs
    The Fort was given a form that was roughly human ... the image of the martyred Christ has also been read in the plan of the fort (AB ev)
Constructions
  • Moats
    "includes the fort's moat" (Brief Description)
  • Prison
    Under British rule the Fort was converted to a prison until 1958 (AB ev)
  • Cisterns
    "The fortress included facilities such as a chapel, a cistern, a well, and the Captain’s house, but among these only the cistern and an L-shaped building survive." (AB ev)
WHS on Other Lists
Timeline
Visiting conditions
News
the-star.co.ke 01/17/2018
Sh498m Fort Jesus wall to stop ero…
geeskaafrika.com 10/03/2016
Fort Jesus to get a $3.9M facelift
allafrica.com 05/09/2015
Vandals Deface Fort Jesus Heritage…

Community Reviews

Show full reviews
First published: 30/01/24.

Zoë Sheng

Fort Jesus

Fort Jesus (Inscribed)

Fort Jesus by Zoë Sheng

Oh jeez, they named a fort after Jesus? Well unlike the prophet the fort is not special, at all. So the unique points are that it was numero uno European (Portuguese) fort in the area of this style, second being that it was taken over by the Omanis. You can get around the entire fort within 20 minutes as it's so small. If you want to hire a guide they will approach you as you get to the entrance already and the ticket check lady asked me again as I entered. I think there are only two places that they would be useful. 1. The great wall painting and I would say that IS the best about the fort if not for it being remade in the 60s. Here there would be explanations to appreciate it more. Second would be arch passage and rooms below because by itself it's nothing to look at and I overheard the guides chat about it a lot. The main barracks are currently under renovation so I think they will add a lot to see later. There is also a small Omani museum but it's not really related to the fort (and talks about heritage sites in that country instead) as well as a large whale bone collection which again doesn't apply to the fort.

Even though I had all morning planned for the sightseeing it was already done within an hour. Can't really recommend it.

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First published: 28/11/16.

Michael Novins

Fort Jesus

Fort Jesus (Inscribed)

Fort Jesus by Michael Novins

In August 2016, I flew from Zanzibar to Mombasa, where I stayed at the Castle Royal Hotel, which dates from 1909 and is centrally located between the Moi Avenue tusks and Mombasa Old Town. Along with a guide from Diani Tours (http://www.dianisafaris-kenya.com), I walked from my hotel to the historic spice market (one of the most photogenic in East Africa) and then through the Old Town, where I visited the White House (which served as the first U.S. consulate in Kenya from 1915 - 1918), to Fort Jesus, a Portuguese fort built between 1593 and 1596. Based on what I had read, I thought it was prudent to arrange for a local guide, although the area seemed safe, at least for a daylight meandering -- still, it was helpful to have a guide to navigate through the labyrinthine streets from the spice market to Fort Jesus.

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