Fort Jesus

Fort Jesus is a Portuguese fort built in 1593 by order of King Philip II of Spain ( King Philip I of Portugal ), then ruler of the joint Portuguese and Spanish Kingdoms, located on Mombasa Island to guard the Old Port of Mombasa, Kenya. It was built in the shape of a man (viewed from the air), and was given the name of Jesus, after Shaikh Isa Bin Tarif Al Bin Ali Al Utbi conquered the fort in 1837 after being asked for assistance by Sayyid Said Bin Sultan , Sultan of Oman . The name Jesus in Arabic means Isa, therefore it means the Fort of Isa ( Isa Bin Tarif ). Isa Bin Tarif , Chief of the Al Bin Ali Al Utbi Tribe , is a descendant of the original uttoobee conquerors of Bahrain . The Al Bin Ali were a politically important group that moved backwards and forwards between Qatar and Bahrain, they were the original dominant group of Zubara area , they were also known for their courage, persistence, and abundant wealth .

Overview

Between 1631 and 1875 the fort was won and lost nine times by the nations contesting control of Mombasa. It was declared a historical monument in 1958. Today it houses a museum.

The fort was designed by an Italian architect, Jao Batisto Cairato, who was the Chief Architect for Portuguese possessions in the East. Today, it is one of the finest examples of 16th century Portuguese military architecture, which has been influenced and changed by both the Omani Arabs and the British. The fort quickly became a vital possession for anyone with the intention of controlling Mombasa Island or the surrounding areas of trade. When the British colonised Kenya, they used it as a prison, until 1958, when they converted it into a historical monument. James Kirkman was then assigned to excavate the monument, which he did (with a large use of external historical documents) from 1958 to 1971 .

Fort Jesus Today

Fort Jesus is now a popular destination for foreign and local tourists. As well as a tourist destination the Fort is important as a host for numerous research programmes, a Conservation Lab, and Education Department and an Old Town Conservation Office.

See also

  • Al Bin Ali
  • Bani Utbah
  • Isa Bin Tarif

References

External links

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Wittyboi
11 October 2017
I appreciated this fort! I was however a bit confused by the Oman Room - even though I understood the connection with this historical site!
gogo
29 December 2012
A lot of history from years back. Get a good guide, like Mohammed [ambiguous much] to get as much information as you can [+ value for your money]. Beautiful scenery.
Tracey Bell
25 November 2014
Interesting history with nice views out to sea. Crawling all over the fort imagining who else has been there over the centuries is fun. Can get a guide or just walk around alone.
Roy Walter
17 May 2011
Perfect art muesuem.....ranging from ship models to coin and also butterflies
Zuru Kenya
29 July 2014
Great historical site...
Waleed Albakry
31 August 2011
lovely museum, tourist hotspot, hangout place BLISS
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