Internationl Student Week in Tanzania

Bagamoyo Historical Town

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This town has played various historical roles in Tanzania. Apart from being a German headquarter in 1891, it was also a slave and ivory port. Explorers such as Livingstone, Speke, Grant, Burton and Stanley all passed in this town.

The town has one of the most wonderful white sand beaches in Tanzania. You will find fish hawkers and people constructing dhows along the beach. The best time to stroll along the beach is during day times. During the night crabs stroll along the beach as well.

Another attraction that the town has to offer is the ruins, which are located about 5km from the center. The ruins have two mosques and two tombs, one mosque is the remnant of the oldest mosque in East Africa, dating between third and fourth centuries. The ruins are believed to have been established around 13th century, indicating early contact that Bagamoyo had with Islam. The tombs were built with coral stones and it is very fascinating to see how earlier settlers approached architecture.

Participants will visit Bagamoyo Museum, a small museum that displays Bagamoyo history in relation to its contact with foreigners. It has old photographs, documents and relics from slave trade. On the same compound there is a small chapel known as Anglican Church of Holy cross. The church is famous for being a place where the remains of David Livingstone were laid before taken to Zanzibar en route to Westminster abbey for burial.