Old Fort and Cultural Center

The Old Fort is a square of thick, brown stone walls topped with crenelated battlements that stand out against the blue sky of Stone Town. Built by Omani Arabs in the late seventeenth century, it served as a defense against the Portuguese after the fall of the Omani influence in the region. Omani forces held this ground to reclaim control of the island, and the fortress remains the oldest standing building in the city, marking the beginning of Omani architecture on the island.