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Fort Jesus, Mombasa, Kenya, East Africa
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Fort Jesus, Mombasa, Kenya, East Africa
Side view of Fort Jesus, a 16th century Portuguese fort in Mombasa, Kenya, East Africa.
1921
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Media ID 14394802
© The On Call in Africa Collection / Mary Evans Picture Library
1921 Fort Fortification Jesus Kenya Mombasa Portuguese
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Fort Jesus, a 16th century Portuguese fortification located in Mombasa, Kenya, East Africa, is depicted in this side view image from the On Call in Africa Collection at Mary Evans Picture Library. Dating back to 1593, Fort Jesus was built by Portuguese architect Diogo de Couto to protect the port of Mombasa and to assert Portuguese control over the region. The fort's distinctive star-shaped design, with its bulwarks, bastions, and casemates, was a common feature of Portuguese military architecture during this period. The fort's strategic location on a small peninsula jutting out into the Indian Ocean made it a crucial point of defense for the Portuguese, who sought to control the lucrative spice trade routes. Over the centuries, Fort Jesus has served variously as a military garrison, a prison, and a museum, and today it stands as a testament to the rich cultural heritage of Mombasa and Kenya as a whole. This photograph, taken in the 1920s, offers a glimpse into the past, transporting us back to a time when European powers vied for control of the African continent. The image captures the fort's imposing presence, with its thick walls, battlements, and cannon emplacements, all framed against the backdrop of the azure Indian Ocean. The palm trees and other vegetation in the foreground add a touch of lush tropical beauty to the scene, underscoring the unique blend of European and African influences that characterizes Mombasa and East Africa as a whole.
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