Kilwa – A Coastal Region rich of Tanzania History : Lindi is one of the regions located in Tanzania. Despite being one of the regions in the mainland, it is also famous for having some historical sites. One cannot speak about historical sites in Lindi region without including the coastal areas of Kilwa. This is one of the popular historical sites in Tanzania, east Africa, Africa and the world at large. The history of Kilwa started existing since time in memorial. This is due to the fact that it is one of the popular areas that were used as capitals since slave trade when Arabs invaded east Africa for trading activities. For instance, there are so many buildings in the coast that were built by colonialists like the Portuguese palisade in the area.
Kilwa is one of the big villages in the coastal area alongside Kilwa town in Lindi region, Tanzania. It is in this village where the historical site of Kilwa that was the capital city among the Swahili communities in the coastal areas of east Africa. It was existed since time in memorial around 14th century. It existed from there until its collapse in 16 century BC. The coastal area of Kilwa was the most famous and important town among Swahili communities during those days.
Kilwa ruins is one of the trending issues that knocks heads of people when hearing about the coastal areas of Kilwa. Even though Kilwa city has been growing rapidly and is becoming famous to both domestic and international or external visitors. Most people are attracted to visit these historical sites just for visiting these ruins. This is because they are very impressive, attractive and interesting due to the fact that they have been existing for years now.
The ruins such as the biggest mosque in east Africa by that time is believed to be built around the 11th century by the Islamic merchants who came to the coastal area for trading activities. After the completion in the building of this mosque, other buildings were then built including the historical ruins of Husuni Kubwa which is believed to be the headquarter by that time.
Large number of people have been travelling daily from various regions in the country to go and witness the distinct features that they have been told and hearing from books and various social media. These features have been appearing impressive and attractive even to foreign visitors who are also traveling to come and visit these historical ruins.
Also, the calmness, humbleness and wisdom of natives around the coastal area have been also appearing to please visitors from various countries to keep on coming in kilwa city which is one of the important sites in the history of Tanzania and the coast of east Africa at large.
Kilwa is also endowed with a lot of precious rivers, mountains, basins, caves, natural resources and the beautiful coastal areas of the ocean. It is also blessed with the fertile land that enable cultivation of crops of various species.
Another fascinating ruins that appear to be attractive to tourists in the place is the presence of ancient Portuguese fort. During their reign in the coastal area, the Portuguese built two forts; the biggest and the small one. Despite the presence of so many ruins in Kilwa Kivinje, Songo Mnara and other places of the coastal area but this is one of the reasons why domestic and external visitors prefer to visit this place.
The Kilwa village has currently remained with various ruins including small houses popularly known as huts that attracts tourists. One cannot believe if the place was considered as a country and it had some commercial connections with other countries in the world.
One of the less known fact to most of people about Kilwa city is that most of them do think that the place have very few tourist attractions but the fact is that Kilwa city have endowed with a lot of tourist attractions including traditional ruins but when they visit the place they end up wondering due to the massive number of tourist attractions in the coastal area. These tourist attractions attract them to visit the place again and again and even those who have never visited the place become eager to visit the place. Thus, increase in the number of visitors day after day.
A part from the ancient ruins in the coastal area, there are various other tourist attractions in the area that still attract various visitors from inside our country and outside. Areas and attractions such as Nyange River, the Selous national park, tourist and modern hotels, attractive coastal areas, fishing sports as well as swimming areas are so impressive to visitors and they contribute greatly to the increase of the local income for the Kilwa district and national at large.
Kilwa was then the great center for commercial and trading activities from 1,100 to 1,500 when it was under the sultanate reign. Kilwa was by then under the sultan Ali Ibn Al-Hassan. It was then under the administration of Mahdali and construction activities were strengthened around 1320 years when the city was under the reign of Al-Hassan Sulaiman.
Most of the historical buildings were built during 14th century. These buildings that are still present today and considered as ruins includes living houses, former king’s palaces of Husuni Kubwa and Husuni Ndogo and some other mosques.
