Mombasa Old Town

Old Town
Old Town Old Town
Coordinates: 4°3′32″S 39°40′35″E / 4.05889°S 39.67639°E / -4.05889; 39.67639Coordinates: 4°3′32″S 39°40′35″E / 4.05889°S 39.67639°E / -4.05889; 39.67639
Country	Kenya
Province	Coast Province
District	Mombasa District
Time zone	EAT (UTC+3)

Old Town is an area of Mombasa, Kenya. Situated on the south-east side of Mombasa Island, the Old Town covers an area of 72 hectares (180 acres), and is inhabited by a mix of local, Arab, Asian, Portuguese and British settlers.^[1]

In 1997, the Old Town and Fort Jesus were submitted by the National Museums of Kenya for selection in UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites.^[1][2]

Geography

The area is located to the east of Mombasa Island, adjacent to Tudor Creek.

Architecture

Buildings in the Old Town are influenced by Mombasa's trade culture, with many examples of Portuguese and Islamic architecture.^[3][4]

Attractions

Fort Jesus

Main article: Fort Jesus

The Portuguese Fort Jesus is located in the Old Town, and is Mombasa's most popular tourist attraction.^[5]

Footnotes

1. ^ ^{a b} UNESCO (2011a)
2. ^ UNESCO (2011b)
3. ^ Planetware (2010)
4. ^ MombasaInfo (2009a)
5. ^ MombasaInfo (2009b)

Sources

• MombasaInfo (2009a), Old Town, MombasaInfo, http://www.mombasainfo.com/attractions/historical-cultural/old-town/, retrieved 4 April 2009 
• MombasaInfo (2009b), Fort Jesus, MombasaInfo, http://www.mombasainfo.com/attractions/historical-cultural/fort-jesus/, retrieved 4 April 2009 
• Planetware (2011), The Old Town Description, Richmond Hill, Ontario: PlanetWare, inc., http://www.planetware.com/mombasa/the-old-town-ken-cst-oldt.htm, retrieved 24 January 2011 
• UNESCO (2011a), "Mombasa Old Town", World Heritage Convention (United Nations: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/883/, retrieved 24 January 2011 
• UNESCO (2011b), "Fort Jesus", World Heritage Convention (United Nations: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/884/, retrieved 24 January 2011