
Fort Jesus Museum Guide, A Walk Through The History Of Kenya!
Fort Jesus Museum Guide: Fort Jesus built by the Portuguese in 1593 – 1596 to the designs of Giovanni Battista Cairati purposely to protect the port of Mombasa, is one of the most outstanding and well-preserved examples of 16th Century Portuguese military foundation and a land mark in history of this type of construction.
The present-day Fort Jesu Museum was used a defensive block and protected the Portuguese of the Eastern Coast of Kenya, the fort served as a barrack for the Portuguese soldiers and later when the British when they took over the Kenya Coast.
Under the British Colonial administration, the fort was converted into a prison. Now it is a significant historical landmark in Kenya managed by the National Museums Association of Kenya.
Fort Jesus Museum spreads across an area of 2.36 hectares including a moat and the surrounding areas, the fort is one of the best-preserved pieces of evidence of outstanding military fortification during the 16th century and was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Also, the fort is a symbolic of the history of Mombasa as a town and one of the most visited tourist attraction sites in Kenya.
Fort Jesus was built during the latter part of the 16th Century (1539 – 1596) by Portuguese soldiers in Mombasa which used to be the trade center and gateway to India at that time, the fort was built to protect the town from any outside influences.
The Fort stands on the coastline of Mombasa and portrays the historical times when the Portuguese used to rule the trading routes of the Indian Ocean, the location of the fortress enabled the soldiers to see any ships approaching the harbor.
Also, the Fort tells the story of a horrific past of the slave trade when slaves under the Portuguese rule were tortured and perished from hunger and diseases. During these times, the slaves were shipped to the Persian Gulf and Arabia through the Port of Mombasa.
It is in the 16th Century when cultural, commercial and political forces were budding and the Portuguese designed to build an important fort in the region, Fort Jesus was following Italian architecture styles and you can see significant Renaissance styled architecture in the fort.
Once the Portuguese started establishing themselves in the Fort, it became a subject of battles. The Fort was captured and recaptured many time changing hands between many rulers including the Omani Arabs from 1698 to 1895 which then went under the Birtish Control and was then transformed into a prison.
The slaves were held in the torture rooms and cells in the Fort’s Prison, the castle also had cannons built to protect it from invaders, once again when the Portuguese recaptured the fort it was refurbished many times.
In 1858, the fort became a national park and later in 2011 it was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is marked as one of the prolific structures belonging to the 16th Century.

Fort Jesus Museum Guide : Fort Jesus symbolizes the prolific architectural expertise of the Portuguese and this colonial – era Fortress is a stunning example of the Renaissance military architecture. When viewed the top, the fortress resembles the shape of a human with a head portion pointing towards the Ocean, the fort is an interesting fusion of colonial and indigenous architecture styles.
The Renaissance military architecture is showcased beautifully with the fort built of local techniques using local coral and limestones.
Fort Jesus was designed by an Italian Architect Giovanni Battista Cairati, during the 300 years of its formation, the fort has changed hands multiple times and also you can see the Arabian and Brtish influences on the fort architecture.
The original walls of Fort Jesus were designed with ability to withstand cannon ball attacks and were 50 feet high, later when the Omanis conquered the fort. The height of the wall was lengthened by another 9 feet which not only kept the invaders out but also the people inside the fort.
Today, the fort is a blend of African, European and Middle – Eastern Construction styles. The Fort ramparts offer a beautiful panoramic view of the town port and the rooms of the fort are now home to a museum that portrays the history of the fort and the town of Mombasa.
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