Some 75 kilometres to the north of Dar es Salaam lies Bagamoyo,
once the embarkation port for slaves from the hinterland, and later the
first German colonial capital. It is a place of considerable
significance to world history, both as an entry point for Arab and
European missionaries, explorers, and traders in East and Central
Africa, and in the history of the infamous slave trade.
Fortunately Bagamoyo is now being
considered for inclusion as one of the World Heritage sites, to conserve
and protect the fascinating Gothic and Afro-Arabic architecture in this
coastal settlement steeped in history.
Tourist attractions include the Kaole
ruins dating back to the 12th century thought to mark one of the
earliest contacts of Islam with Africa; the Old Fort built in 1860 for
holding slaves for shipment to Zanzibar; the first Roman Catholic Church
in East Africa built around 1868 used as a base to run a camp of about
650 freed slaves; the German colonial administration headquarters, the
Boma, in the first capital of German East Africa; the Mission Museum
displaying history of Bagamoyo; and the Livingstone Memorial Church
among others. Bagamoyo white sand beaches are considered some of the
finest on the whole of the East African coast.