Zanzibar, Stone town taylored visits by Paje by Night Hotel

Stone Town
is the old city and cultural heart of Zanzibar. Most of houses were built in the 19th century when Zanzibar, together with Lamu, was one of the most important trading centres in the Indian Ocean region and the capital of both Oman and its east african dominions. It's a blend of arabic architecture, indian and european styles.
Unfortunately due to lack of funds, many of the places went in ruin but in the last years private and governament's funds contributed to the restorantion of various buildings. It has intricated winding alleys, bustling bazaars, mosques and grand arab houses two to three storeys high, with quadrangular plan,
central courtyard and flat roof, surmounted by a low crenellated parapet, with wide windows of coloured glasses and very elaborated carved door, decorated with massive brass bosses. These doors have arabic and indian origins but over time the Swahili developed their own style, decorating them with Coran verses and fish and waves meaning life and peace, loto's flower meaning fertility and tree leaves, symbols of prosperity. The european influence is visible in balconies, loggias and verandas that appeared on buildings
in the nineteenth century. A peculiar feature of Zanzibar houses is the Baraza: a low stone bench built
along walls of houses facing narrow streets serving as a social place and as raised sidewalks when the streets get flooded during Masika, the heavy rains season.
Stone Town has recently been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.