Fort Jesus
Fort Jesus is
Mombasa’s most popular tourist attraction. The
fort, located along t  he coastline near the Old
Town, is a monumental piece of architecture that
was built in the 16th century by the Portuguese.
The fort has a museum that displays various
artifacts from the era where Mombasa served as a
transit point for the slave trade and
commodities, and which enjoyed regular visits by
seafarers and the like. Its interior comprises
of torture rooms and prison cells where slaves
were kept in captivity before being traded.
Weapons such as canons, which were used to
defend the fort from invading foreigners as well
as rioting locals, can be seen both inside and
outside of the fort.
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Old Town” is the part of Mombasa that is
reminiscent of the days when the Arabs exerted a
heavy influence on the town and its culture, and
especially in the architecture and language
(Kiswahili has a lot of phrases derived from
various Arabic dialects). It is well known for
its ancient buildings, extravagant art designs
and curio shops that sell antique and popular
Kenyan souvenirs. Old Town is best seen when
explored by foot with an experienced guide, as
the streets are too narrow to accommodate a
large number of vehicles. The town’s inhabitants
are mostly of Arab origin who’s forefathers once
roamed the same streets of the town. Fort Jesus
is located just a few steps away from where the
town "starts", thus a complete tour of the fort
and the “Old Town” can be done in a single day.
The Mombasa "Tusks" are
symbolic representations of entrance into
the heart of the town. The tusks were built
to commemorate the visit of Queen Elizabeth
to the town in 1952, as they lay directly on
the path from the port to the town. Ivory
was considered to be an exquisite commodity
during the time, and in essence the tusks
were meant to embrace the Queen and the
British Empire into the town and within its
social structure. Coincidentally the tusks
also spell the letter "M" for Mombasa.
The Hindu temple is a
one of the many s ymbols of Mombasa's
cultural diversity. The temple is a popular
tourist spot and a tour can be taken inside
the temple, with a historical background of
the temple given by one of the temple gurus.
Extravagant idols and stone carvings of the
various religious beliefs are displayed
within the temple and on its walls. It is
located near the Railway Station just
outside the perimeter of the downtown area.
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