Kilwa Kisiwani

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**Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Ruins of Songo Mnara**¹
**UNESCO World Heritage Site**

State Party	United Republic of Tanzania
Type	Cultural
Criteria	iii
Identification	#144
Region²	Africa
Inscription History
Formal Inscription:	1981 5th WH Committee Session
In Danger	2004-
WH link:	http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/144
1 Name as officially inscribed on the WH List 2 As classified officially by UNESCO

Kilwa Kisiwani is an Islamic community on an island off the coast of East Africa, in present day Tanzania.

In the 9th century it was sold to a trader Ali bin Al-Hasan and over the following centuries it grew to be a major city and trading centre along that coast, and inland as far as Zimbabwe. Trade was mainly in gold and iron from Zimbabwe, ivory and slaves from Tanzania, and textiles, jewellery, porcelain, and spices from Asia.

By the 13th century, under the rule of the Mahdali family, Kilwa had become the most powerful city on the East African coast, and its influence stretched as far south as Mozambique. Abu Abdullah Ibn Battuta recorded his visit to the city around 1330, and commented favorably on the humility and religion of its ruler, Sultan al-Hasan ibn Sulaiman. From this period date the construction of the Palace of Husuni Kubwa and a significant extension to the Great Mosque of Kilwa.

In the early 16th century, Vasco da Gama extorted tribute from the wealthy Islamic state, but not soon after, another Portuguese force took control of the island (1505), and it remained in Portuguese hands until 1512, when an Arab mercenary captured Kilwa. The city regained some of its earlier prosperity, but in 1784 it came under the rule of the Omani rulers of Zanzibar. After the Omani conquest, the French built and manned a fort at the northern tip of the island, but the city itself was abandoned in the 1840s. It was later part of the colony of German East Africa from 1886 to 1918.

Serious archeological investigation began in the 1950s. In 1981 it was declared a World Heritage Site, and noted visitor sites are the Great Mosque, the Mkutini Palace and some remarkable ruins.

Inscription on the List of World Heritage in Danger: 2004. There is a serious rapid deterioration of the archaeological and monumental heritage of these two islands due to various agents like erosion and vegetation. The eastern section of the Palace of Husuni Kubwa is progressively disappearing. The damage to the soil caused by rainwater wash is accentuating the risks of collapse of the remaining structures on the edge of the cliff. The vegetation that proliferates on the cliff has limited the progression of the rain-wash effect, but also causes the break-up of the masonry structures.

The town is located within the Kilwa|Kilwa District of the Lindi Region.

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Portuguese Empire

North Africa

15th century
1415–1640 Ceuta
1420 Madeira
1458–1550 Alcácer Ceguer (El Qsar es Seghir)
1471–1550 Arzila (Asilah)
1471–1662 Tangier
1485–1550 Mazagan (El Jadida)
1488–1541 Safim (Safi)

16th century
1505–1769 Santa Cruz do Cabo de Gué (Agadir)
1506–1525 Mogador (Essaouira)
1506–1525 Aguz (Souira Guedima)
1506–1769 Mazagan (El Jadida)
1513–1541 Azamor (Azemmour)
1577–1589 Arzila (Asilah)

Sub-Saharan Africa

15th century 1455–1633 Arguin 1470–1975 São Tomé¹ 1474–1778 Annobón 1478–1778 Fernando Póo (Bioko) 1482–1637 Elmina (São Jorge da Mina) 1482–1642 Portuguese Gold Coast 1496–1550 Madagascar (part) 1498–1540 Mascarene Islands	16th century 1500–1630 Malindi 1500–1975 Príncipe¹ 1501–1975 Portuguese E. Africa (Mozambique) 1502–1659 St. Helena 1503–1698 Zanzibar 1505–1512 Quíloa (Kilwa) 1506–1511 Socotra 1557–1578 Accra 1575–1975 Portuguese W. Africa (Angola) 1588–1974 Cacheu² 1593–1698 Mombassa (Mombasa)	17th century 1642–1975 Cape Verde 1645–1888 Ziguinchor 1680–1961 São João Baptista de Ajudá 1687–1974 Bissau² 18th century 1728–1729 Mombassa (Mombasa) 1753–1975 São Tomé and Príncipe 19th century 1879–1974 Portuguese Guinea 1885–1975 Portuguese Congo (Cabinda)
¹ Part of São Tomé and Príncipe from 1753. ² Part of Portuguese Guinea from 1879.

Southwest Asia

16th century
1506–1615 Gamru (Bandar Abbas)
1515–1622 Hormuz (Ormus)
1515–1650 Muscat
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Indian subcontinent

15th century
1498–1545 Laccadive Islands (Lakshadweep)

16th century
Portuguese India
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17th century
Portuguese India
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18th century
Portuguese India
1779–1954 Dadra and Nagar Haveli

East Asia and Oceania

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¹ 1975 is the date of East Timor's Declaration of Independence and subsequent invasion by Indonesia. In 2002, the independence of East Timor was recognized by Portugal and the rest of the world.