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Some 75 kilometres to the north of Dar es Salaam lies
Bagamoyo, once the embarkation port for slaves from the
hinterland, and later the first German colonial capital. It
is a place of considerable significance to world history,
both as an entry point for Arab and European missionaries,
explorers, and traders in East and Central Africa, and in
the history of the infamous slave trade. Fortunately
Bagamoyo is now being considered for inclusion into one of
the World Heritage sites, to conserve and protect the
fascinating Gothic and Afro-Arabic architecture in this
coastal settlement steeped in history.
Tourist attractions include the Kaole ruins dating back to
the 12th century thought to mark one of the earliest
contacts of Islam with Africa; the Old Fort built in 1860
for holding slaves for shipment to Zanzibar; the first Roman
Catholic Church in East Africa built around 1868 used as a
base to run a camp of about 650 freed slaves; the German
colonial administration headquarters, the Boma, in the first
capital of German East Africa; the Mission Museum displaying
history of Bagamoyo; and the Livingstone Memorial Church
among others. Bagamoyo white sand beaches are considered
some of the finest on the whole of the East African coast.
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