1. 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 Zanzibar
Mbaraka Saidi 0718616314 Zanzibar Stone Town Heritage
Society

2. 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
Developmentand ConservationAuthority, CaravanSeraihouse, Livingstone
house and chawlbuilding (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 – TANZANIA
Phone: +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

3. TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION OF ZANZIBAR STONE TOWN
CHAPTER ONE ………….................... MAMBO MSIIGE
CHAPTER TWO ……………………… LIVING STONE HOUSE
CHAPTER THREE……………………..CHAWLBUILDING
CHAPTER FOUR……………………… CARAVAN SERAI
Last …………………….......……......... Appendixes and Photo credits

4. 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 19th 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)

5. 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.

6. 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)

7. 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)

8. 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.

9. (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.

10. (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)

11. 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 .

12. ( 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)

13. 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

14. (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)

15. 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