Bagamoyo Day trip

Strolling through Bagamoyo’s narrow, unpaved streets takes you back to the mid-19th century, when the town was one of the most important settlements along the East African coast and the terminus of the trade caravan route linking Lake Tanganyika with the sea.

Our tour will start  with The Boma

Impressive two-storey building topped by crenellations, constructed in a U-shape in 1897.They are pointed arches on the ground floor. This was built by the Germans as the colonial administration headquarters of the first capital of the German East Africa and the Governors residence. The building exhibits strong tangible evidence of colonialism in Tanzania. The architecture of this great monument is typical of German architecture by this period. The district commissioner’s office was located in the Boma until the heavy rain fell in 1997. People say they heard crash all over Bagamoyo when the balcony joists, collapsed under the heavy loads of water and after a long period of poor maintenance.

Then visit, Bomani: The German Colonial administration headquarters, as a memorial site for the first German East African Capital.  

The first stone building /Old Fort
Oldest surviving stone building in bagamoyo built in 1860 by Abdallah suleiman Marhabi, a local Arab trader. It was originally Sultan Barghash of Zanzibar fortified the private residence of Marhabi.This building located in the north/west of the town at one point and in1870 its dimension was expanded to be the residence of Sultan's representatives together with his office and the Arab colonial prison. This building commands a strong history in terms of architecture. In fact Islamic architecture can be best seen from this building. The old fort has associations with slave trade.initially its function was to hold slaves before being shipped to Zanzibar.it has underground passage through which slaves were herded to dhows on the shore. It was later taken over by Sewa Haji, an influential Indian businessman, who presented it to the Germans in 1894

Plaque infront of BOMA
A plaque set up near the beach which commemorates the first expedition, undertaken by the British explorers Richard Burton and John Speke, who set off from here on 27th June 1857

Other places to visit are as per below:

German Grave Yard:  the historical place where the German soldiers were buried.

Then proceed to visit Kaole Ruins: The Roman Catholic historical museum and the chapel which housed Dr Livingstone’s body before it was shipped to Westminster Abbey in London.

There is also a palm fringed sand beach with international hotel resorts

Bagamoyo Museum: It is a small museum, which 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 know as Anglican church of Holly 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.

College of Arts: Is the only major arts college in Tanzania, teaching various fields: dancing, music, drama and painting. It is situated along the Kaole road, close to Kaole ruins.

German Hanging place
By the beach below the fortified house is the small pyramid marking what has become known as the “German Hanging Place”. Monument reminding the supporters of Bushiri who were hanged to death here in December 1889. This is the place where during the colonial period people who were found guilty of misconduct used to be hanged.

The German cemetary
There are 20 graves dating from 1889 and most Germans who were killed by the uprising (Arab and local) led by Bushiri. Bushiri bin Salim incited an uprising of coastal Arab slave traders against harsh German colonizers in German East Africa. Hermann Von Wissmann (1853-1905), a noted African explorer was appointed German commissioner of East Africa in 1888 and order to put down the uprising. In early 1889, he arrived on the German East African coast with 600 Sudanese troops and proceeded to engage the rebel Arabs in scrimmage. In May 1889 Wissmann was ready to attack the headquarters of Bushiri in Nzole, not far from Bagamoyo. The attack started on the 8th of May, Bushiri fled. Many German soldiers were killed who now rest in the German cemetery. December 1889, Wissmann’s forces stormed and took Bagamoyo, a rebel stronghold, and Bushiri was captured and hung. While Wissmann was reestablishing order on land, the Germans, joined by the British, carried out a blockade of the coast, preventing the export of slaves and the import of weapons by the Arabs. By 1890, Wissmann had completely suppressed the rebels.

Mwanamakuka cemetary
The evidence of the early settlement in Bagamoyo, oldest tombs dating back to 1793 and later tombs date’s back 1813

The LUKU House
do slender iron columns and a central double door, this building served as first German colonial administrative center, support an old 2-storey building with an awning.

The Wissmann monument
The monument was built in 1894 and was dismantled in 1946 by the British.

 The Arab coffee house
Abdallah Marhabi, an influential Arab merchant, constructed the building around 1860.Originally it was used as an Arabian cafe, where people could have their tea or coffee. Since then it has used as a hospital and is currently used as an office. In the 1900s it was extended with two wings on the back.

Ruvu River Delta: well known as Ruvu River basin, an ornithological paradise with a lot bird species, Hippo's and other reptiles can be seen here. It is only reached by boat.