Kilwa Kisiwani, Tanzania

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the Swahili coast. Wealth came from trading other items as well such as ivory, slaves, textiles, jewelry, porcelain and spices. The striking architecture was beautiful and well-constructed, leaving behind many exceptional ruins. The decline of the town began with the Portugese taking control of Kilwa Kisiwani in 1505 for the gold trade. In the 17th C, the Oman Arabs arrived to revive Kilwa and many of the buildings were taken over by the sultans as their palaces. This lasted until the middle of the 19th C when regional trade shifted to Kilwa Kivinje.

Now a World Heritage Site, Kilwa Kisiwani is being rehabilitated and becoming more accessible to visitors. Together with the nearby ruins of Songo Mnara, Kilwa is considered a significant glimpse of Swahili civilization.

Coral stone houses, palaces, a large domed mosque and the largest pre-European building in equatorial Africa, the Husuni Kubwa, are found within the fig and palm trees.