Bagamoyo can be explored through several distinct cultural themes: as a place of remembrance, through its historic buildings, and through courses in music, dance, theatre, and art. To help plan your trip, first decide which focus you want. Are you primarily interested in the history of the place, the use of individual buildings, or including a course in your plans? These questions lead to different points of interest and make Bagamoyo’s themes as a travel destination easier to explore.

Bagamoyo as a Place of Remembrance

Bagamoyo is a place of remembrance for the human suffering and humiliation caused by slavery, the slave trade, and European colonialism. This designation relates to a submission to the UNESCO Tentative List, not to an inscription on the World Heritage List. Bagamoyo is therefore identified as a place of remembrance, but is not listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. If you are exploring the history of the place, this perspective on remembrance offers an approach of its own, going beyond the examination of individual buildings.

Historic Buildings and Their Functions

The Old Fort was a two-storey residence commissioned by the Arab merchant Abdallah Sulleiman in the 1860s. When considering the building, its actual use as a residence is just as important as its name: a residence offers a different perspective on the building than its name alone. The Old Boma was built by the Germans in 1895 and served as the administrative headquarters of German East Africa until 1919. The two buildings thus had different functions: the merchant’s residence and the administrative headquarters. This distinction helps you consider the buildings separately, rather than reducing their history to simply being old buildings.

Courses in Art and Culture

The Bagamoyo College of Arts and Culture offers short and longer courses in music, dance, theatre, and art. The four subjects provide different ways to engage with artistic work; course length may also be relevant to your plans. Check current course availability in advance if you intend to take part. This allows you to choose between focusing on historical context and engaging directly with one of the subjects on offer.

Ruins in Nearby Kaole

The nearby village of Kaole, formerly called Pumbuji, is home to ruins dating from the 13th century. Knowing the former name helps you recognise the village under either place name. Kaole is also a distinct point of interest in the area around Bagamoyo: its ruins offer a much earlier historical perspective than the 19th-century buildings. If you are comparing historic sites, Kaole complements the history of buildings and administration with a much earlier period.

Comparing Historical Periods

The sites mentioned can also be arranged chronologically: Kaole’s ruins date from the 13th century, the Old Fort from the 1860s, and the Old Boma is dated to 1895 in a historical account; its administrative function continued until 1919. The ruins therefore represent a much earlier period than the later focus on building and administrative history. If you are looking for a historical perspective for your trip, you can decide whether the earlier period of the ruins or the later functions of the buildings interest you more.

Discover more destinations: Kilindoni, Zombe, Kigongoni, Kwa Mhinda, Kwangwazi, Logeloge, Chole, Nyakisiku.

For the broader travel overview: Pwani.