ZANZIBAR STONE TOWN HERITAGE SOCIETY

Documentation Project

Documentation project written by

Mwanaisha.S.Issa

0778161382 State University Of Zanzibar

Ruwaida.N.Juma 0777853037 State University Of ZanzibarMbaraka Saidi 0718616314 Zanzibar Stone Town Heritage

Society

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We would like to thanks those who helped us in this documentation project. Much respect should go to the following;

Zanzibar Stone Town Heritage Society (zsths), Zanzibar National Archives, Peoples Palace Museum, Park Hyatt Hotel, Zanzibar Stone Town Development and Conservation Authority, Caravan Serai house, Livingstone house and chawl building (jumba la treni)

With the increasing development in Stone town whereby many historical buildings are converted to commercial use and some are abandoned due to poor maintenance. Therefore, The Zanzibar Stone Town Heritage Society find it necessary to prepare a documentation project in which those historical buildings will be documented to ensure their sustainability for the use of present generation and the coming generation . Today the world is losing its architectural and archaeological cultural heritage faster than it can be documented. Human caused disasters, such as war and uncontrolled development, are major culprits. Natural disasters, neglect, and inappropriate conservation are also among the reasons that this heritage is vanishing. Although we should strive to preserve as much as possible of our architectural and archaeological cultural heritage, we cannot save everything. One of the options available to heritage managers and decision makers is to document this heritage before it is lost.

First edition

14th September 2016

Address: Mizingani Road, Old Customs House, P.O. Box 3892 Zanzibar – TANZANIAPhone: +255 (0)24 2237072, e-mail: info@zanzibarstonetown.org, web site: www.zanzibarstonetown.org or

www.stonetownheritagesociety.wordpress.com face book: www.facebook.com/zsths

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION OF ZANZIBAR STONE TOWN

CHAPTER ONE ………….................... MAMBO MSIIGE

CHAPTER TWO ……………………… LIVING STONE HOUSE

CHAPTER THREE……………………..CHAWL BUILDING

CHAPTER FOUR……………………… CARAVAN SERAI

Last …………………….......……......... Appendixes and Photo credits

Introduction

Zanzibar stone town is old quarter, In 1800s known as Zanzibar town, is a fascinating maze of narrow streets and alleyways which lead past numerous old house and mosques, ornate palaces, shops and bazaar. Many buildings in stone town date from the 19 th Century slave boom. Highlights include the magnificent House of wonders, the Palace museum and the seafront fish market in Forodhani gardens, Mambo msiige, Caravan serai, Living stone house and Jumba la treni etc .The aerial view of the Stone town . Stone Town was inscribed as a World Heritage site in 2000, satisfying three prescribed criteria that recognize its outstanding value to humankind; The Stone Town of Zanzibar is an outstanding material manifestation of cultural fusion and harmonization. For many centuries there was intense seaborne trading activity between Asia and Africa, and this is illustrated in an exceptional manner by the architecture and urban structure of Stone Town. Zanzibar has great symbolic importance in the suppression of slavery, since it was one of the main slave trading ports in east Africa.

( Appendix 1)

(Appendix one)

Chapter One

THE MAMBO MSIIGE BUILDING

THE HISTORY OF MAMBO MSIIGE BUILDING

The Swahili name means “not to be imitated or copied”. It was built by sk. Salim bin Bushir al Harithy – whose son later, Abushir bin Salim organized great resistance against Germans invasion in the mainland coast .Built in 1850 during the reign of Sayd Said the first of Oman ruler (1804-1856), who personally attended the opening ceremony. The following below is the front view of the Mambo Msiige house in 19th century.

(Appendix 2)

The main reason for building this house on the cape of Shangani was an envy that arose between the builder and two of his fellow rich men of that time: Sk. Abdullah bin Salim al – Barwany and sk. Suleiman habib. While Sk. Salim bin Abushir built the mambo msiige Sk. Suleyman Habib built the palace house at malindi which lasted only fifty years before it fell down, and the third of them Sk. Abdullah bin Salim , built two ships , one called Sahiyya and the other Harthiya to honors her two daughters . Later, during the reign of seyyid Majid (1856-1870) . Sk. Abdullah was arrested and imprisoned, and his two ships were taken, one by Seyyid Major (Harthiya) and the other Salhiyya by Seyyid Thuweny, Mambo msiige was also taken by Seyyid Majid and his owner was impeached.

IT’S ARCHITECTURE

The mambo msiige is both Arabian and Indian architecture some of the doors are semi circle which means Indians style and other doors are square which means Arabian. The Mambo msiige built by using stones coral stones, coral lime. It is said that some of the plaster used in this building was mixed with thousands of eggs yolk, and as eggs are costly it would be an unwise to build using the same style , and that is how it got the name –Mambo msiige. (Not to be copied). Because of its vast architectural and historical significance, its status is grade a according to Zanzibar Stone Town Development and Conservation Authority.

(Appendix 3)

PREVIOUS USES

When Bishops Tozer and Edward steer arrived in Zanzibar, it became the head quarters of the university mission to central Africa (U.M.C.A.) in 1864. Then it became the British representative residence, and the first to occupy it was Sir John Kirk, Agent and consular general 1873-87. Born in 1832 – he accompanied Dr. Living Stone in his second expedition to Zambezi in 1858 and contributed a lot in the suppression and abolition of slave trade.

Famous explorer, H.M: Stanley stayed in this house twice, and one room at the top was built especially for him. In later years it became the European Hospital, and then the office of the Administrator General and Public Trustee. Now is being occupied by several government offices, including, Treasury department, auditors general, wakf department, government register, etc. (it should become as history of the past)

NOW DAYS

The Mambo Msiige is now used as a hotel which known as Park Hyatt.

(Appendix 4)

The Mambo Msiige was restored in 2015, whereby its architecture is still the same although there are some changes whereby one floor has been added and lead to lose its origin beauty and this situation altered the intrinsic value of Mambo Msiige. This situation will make the coming generation missing evidence of this historical building site.

(Appendix5)

Chapter two

THE LIVING STONE HOUSE

THE HISTORY OF LIVING STONE HOUSE

The living stone house was owned by Seyid Khalid bin Said, who died in 1854 the son of sultan seyyid Said bin sultan (the first sultan of Zanzibar from Oman). In 1866 the building was made available for Dr David living stone’s (British explorer) use by Seyyid Majid bin Said Livingstone house. The following below is the front view of the Livingstone house in 19th century.

(Appendix 6)

IT’S ARCHITECTURE

Livingstone house architecture is both British and Arabian style , also this building built by coral stone, mortal ,stone and coral lime , the doors and window of livingstone house are in different style, semi circle in some doors and square for other doors and windows. Livingstone house beacause of its historical significance is classified in grade one according to Zanzibar Stone Town Conservation and Development Authority.

(Appendix 7)

PREVOIUS USES

Functionally as a residence and base for the explorer as the preparation for his last journey to the interior of east africa including Tabora, Ujiji. It then became the property of khoja community who used its as a rest house and as a place of religious meetings in 1947 the government purcheses it and renovated for use as a laboratory for scientific research and living quarters .

NOW DAYS

Livingstone house for this time used as a place for development activities for the side of Zanzibar, so the majority of population go there to get the training about to improve their business, to finding market to improve their goods as well as to train entrepreneurs to develop their business. Now days it is used as ZANZIBAR NATIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, INDUSTRY AND AGRICULTURE (Z.N.C.C.I.A) which based on improving and finding market to entrepreneurs.

(Appendix 8)

Chapter three

CHAWL BUILDING (JUMBA LA TRENI)

HISTORY OF CHAWL BUILDING

Chawal building known as jumba la treni was built in 1880 by Baraghash bin Said who was the third Sultan of Zanzibar. The main reason for building the chawl building was for the investment for traders in ground floor and the first floor was for residential. Until 1900s there was 160 families lived there. The money obtained from the chawl building investment was used for water supply whereby a pipeline installed from Mwanyanya to Zanzibar Town (Stone town). After revolution of Zanzibar in 1964 the building was under the revolution government of Zanzibar. The following below is the chawl building view in 19th century. The building was much influenced by Indian styles. Current the building is under government authority.

(Appendix 9)

IT’S ARCHITECTURE

Chawl building (jumba la treni) is indian architecture , the windows and doors of this building are the element of indian.The building has two floors, the engineer of this building used different material in builing the house like coral stone, mortar ,coral lime and stones, also this building is grade One . The reason why the building is categorized as grade one is due to its long history, function and its architecture therefore the original identity of the building should be maintained and presserved . No significancy changes or alteration alowed to the building under grade one according to the Zanzibar Stone Town Development and Conservation Authority .

(Appendix 10)

PREVIOUS USES

The building has only two floors, the side which was facing the main road was not have a shop, the ground floor was specially for commercial activities and second floor was for residential of indian people .

( Appendix 11)

NOW DAYS

The chawl building (jumba la treni) was used as for commercial in first floor and for residential in second floor. But from June in 2016 this building was stop for both activities commercial and residential because of restoration activities under Zanzibar Social Security Fund (ZSSF), because it was in a very worst condition, so the Revolution Government through ZSSF shown an interest to renovate. The following picture shows how the chawl building will be after renovation

(Appendix 12)

Chapter four

CARAVAN SERAI BUILDING

HISTORY OF CARAVAN SERAI BUILDING

The word serai originated from Indian which means route (misafara). The house was built by khoja Ismail Ramjee who was a big trader in Zanzibar who was convinced by the Sultan in 1892. The building was owned by Jan Moh’d with the purpose to accommodate the poor Khoja Esmailic female.

(Appendix 12)

IT’S ARCHITECTURE

Caravanserai is Indian architecture which built by using coral stone, mortar, coral lime and stone, The building is categorized as a grade B according to the Zanzibar Stone Town Conservation and Development authority

(Appendix13)

PREVIOUS USES

Caravanserai was used as the place where by the traders met for their caravan route and cooperate between foreign traders and indigenous traders of Zanzibar, other part of the building was used as a residential house for the people lived there without paying any rent.

NOW DAYS

This building now owned by the revolution government of Zanzibar, and used as residential for citizens of Zanzibar, there is no any changes inside and outside of the building including

windows and doors. The building is in bad conditions both internal and external spaces are in danger.

(Appendix14)

APPENDIXES

1………………Map of stone town

2………………Mambo msiige in 19th century

3……………….Inside view of mambo msiige in 21 century

4……………….In front view of mambo msiige (park hayyat)

5………………Side view of mambo msiige in 21 century (park hayat)

6………………Livingstone house in 19th century

7………………Inside view of Livingstone house in 21 century

8………………Inside and outside view of Livingstone house in 21 century

9…………...…Chawal building (jumba la treni) in 19th century

10-11………....Outside and inside view of chawl building in 21 century

12…………..…Caravan serai building

13…………..…Outside architecture of caravan serai

14……………..Caravan serai building in 21 century