#fort jesus

[ltwilliammowett]

Ship drawings on the fortress wall in the bastion of San Mateus at Fort Jesus in Mombasa, Kenya. 1593-1698 (x)

The drawings were made by unknown soldiers and sailors with red and black charcoal on the plaster walls and show, Portuguese ships and men, also buildings, fish, jukes, dows, Asian, African and Arab men, partly in battle or trading.

The Fort was built by the Portuguese in 1593-1596 according to plans by Giovanni Battista Cairati to protect the port of Mombasa, the fort is one of the most outstanding and best-preserved examples of 16th century military fortifications. Today it serves as part of Kenya's National Museum and has been a Unseco World Heritage Site since 2011. 

[mejcinta]

It sure feels creepy walking through the corridors of history, where decisions good or damaging were made, and where war raged.

But as I always say, when you learn from history you'll not be doomed to repeat it.

[africandiasporababe]

Tombstone, Swahili artist, Kilindini, Mombasa County, Kenya, 1462

[gold-from-straw]

Ruins from where I live

For @wanderingnork who’s feeling the ruins at the mo!

This beauty is a 100 year old colonial administrative building in Shimoni, on the south coast of Kenya. It’s been rebuilt recently and run as a museum by the village council who use money from tourist trips like that to fund the local health centre, so I’m glad I got these pics in 2006 :)

Yep, I grew up here.

My friend walking up the stairs...brave fella.

This place doesn’t look so cool, I guess, it’s much more recent, but it was formative in my teenage years. My best friend Z found it in the dense forest about half a mile from my place and my brother and I, and Z and his sister S used to spend every day playing in there and amazingly not being bitten by snakes. Getting to it involved crashing through elephant grass, and it’s the inspiration for my book The Forest Hotel which WILL BE PUBLISHED soon, or as soon as my friend does the amazing artwork for the cover ^_^

I loved that place. There was a tree growing out the side of it, but it was too dark for photos. Sadly they tore it down and replaced it with a restaurant. I guess we were trespassing...eh, oops

Does this count as a ruin? It’s Fort Jesus, in Mombasa, a 14th century Portuguese fort that was the focus of various battles between the Portuguese and the Omanis over who’d get to run Mombasa (called Mvita at the time, city of war). I was born in the hospital about two blocks away from here

[aisha-mugo-blog]

Jessica Loko Mule at Fort Jesus.

Mombasa, Kenya.

[otraficantedesonhos]

Fort Jesus #mombasa #ruins

[mejcinta]

Fort Jesus, at the edge of Mombasa island, Kenya. 🌴

Photo taken by yours truly on a hot and humid educational trip day with my classmates 3 years ago. Of course, I live here so, I wasn't burning into a crisp like my pals from inland, colder Kenya. 😂

Goals: a better phone, and more photography to exhaust my creative juices. I got too much, I can explode.

[mejcinta]

When dad works at a museum and I get to pass by centuries-old Fort Jesus every morning. 🌴