Fort Jesus in Mombasa
Built from 1593 to 1596 to guard Mombasa’s Old Port, Fort Jesus was the only fort the Portuguese maintained on the Swahili coast. A national museum since 1958, it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2011.
Key facts
Before you go.
- Starting point
- Mombasa Island, by the Old TownMombasa (Wikivoyage)
- GPS coordinates
- -4.06278, 39.67972Fort Jesus (Wikipedia)
Good to know
Three things to remember.
The fort changed hands at least nine times between 1631 and 1895, then became a prison under British rule.
Fort Jesus (Wikipedia)Part of the former cells is now a museum, with exhibits from the Portuguese frigate Santo António de Tanna, sunk in 1697.
Mombasa (Wikivoyage)Extend the visit in the nearby Old Town, Mombasa’s other main historic site.
Mombasa (Wikivoyage)
Plan the trip
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Sources · 2 pages consulted, with the exact sentence used
- Fort Jesus (Wikipedia)
Fort Jesus […] is a fort located on Mombasa Island. […] it was built between 1593 and 1596 […] to guard the Old Port of Mombasa. Fort Jesus was the only fort maintained by the Portuguese on the Swahili coast […] Fort Jesus was captured and recaptured at least nine times between 1631 […] and 1895, it fell under British rule and was converted into a prison. […] In 1958, Fort Jesus was declared a national museum. […] The fort was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 2011. (coordinates -4.06278, 39.67972)
- Mombasa (Wikivoyage)
Historical ruins like Fort Jesus and the Old Town are attractions that display the history in Mombasa. […] During the British period the fort functioned as a prison and today part of the cells are used as a museum. Many exhibits come from the Portuguese frigate Santo António de Tanna that sank in 1697.
Opening hours, prices and access conditions change: check them with the official source before you go. Viafro publishes no price without a source and a date.