Lamu Fort

Lamu Fort{{efn|Lamu fort should not be confused with the more modern fort at Shela Beach ({{coord|-2.300277|40.911583|display=inline}}), a vacation rental property.{{sfn|The Fort, Shela Beach: SleepOut}} This "fort" was built in 2001.{{sfn|Home: The Shela Fort}} }} is a defensive structure that was erected at the southeast corner of the old stone town of Lamu.{{sfn|Lamu Fort Historical Background: National Museum}}

The fort was built beside the Pwani Mosque, the oldest known mosque in Lamu, with origins in the 14th century.{{sfn|Trillo|2002|p=565}} The fort originally lay on the waterfront, which then ran along the main street of the town but has since retreated.{{sfn|Poblete|2007|p=35}}

Thomas Boteler, who visited Lamu in 1823, described the fort as "a large square building, with a tower at each corner, but constructed so slightly that in all probability the discharge of its honeycombed ordnance would soon bring the whole fabric to the ground." It had a "large vaulted entrance ... [and] consisted of three stories of balconies, supported inside by arches.{{sfn|Boteler|1835|pp=382–383}} Captain W. F. W. Owen, who visited at the same time, noted that the fort was "one hundred yards square, and surrounded by walls from forty to fifty feet high."{{sfn|Owen|1833| p=221}}

Today the fort is in a central position in the town. It is situated about {{convert|70|m}} from the main jetty on the shore.{{sfn|Lamu Fort Historical Background: National Museum}} The fort today is a massive two-story stone building.{{sfn|Lamu Fort Historical Background: National Museum}} The squat and powerful structure contrasts with the elegant Swahili architecture of the other buildings in the town.{{sfn|Fitzpatrick|2009|p=330}}

Construction of the fort appears to have been started by Fumomadi, Sultan of Pate.{{sfn|Biersteker|Shariff|2012|p=36}} The Mazrui leader Abdalla bin Hemed, in an uneasy alliance with Pate, was also involved in the construction.{{sfn|Biersteker|Shariff|2012|p=39}} One story was built, but with the death of Funomadi in 1809 construction halted.{{sfn|Biersteker|Shariff|2012|p=36}} In 1812 Lamu gained an unexpected victory at the Battle of Shela over the forces of Pate and Mombasa. The continued threat prompted them to call for help from Oman.{{sfn|Trillo|2002|p=555}} Said bin Sultan, Sultan of Muscat and Oman (r. 1804–1856), was said to have assisted in the renewed construction, which began in 1813 and was completed around 1821.{{sfn|Lamu Fort Historical Background: National Museum}}

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|image1 = Lamu fort in 1892 by Adolph Jacob Hertz 1865-1912.png

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|caption1 =Waterfront of Lamu in 1892, showing Lamu fort. Photograph by Adolph Jacob Hertz (1865–1912)

|image2 = Lamu fort in 1892 by Adolph Jacob Hertz 1865-1912 (b).png

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|caption2 =Market outside Lamu fort in 1892. Photograph by Adolph Jacob Hertz (1865–1912)

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Sultan Sayyid Said bin Sultan sent a governor to Lamu around 1814.{{sfn|Pouwels|1991|p=384}}

He provided a protective garrison of Baluchi soldiers.{{sfn|Lamu Fort Historical Background: National Museum}} According to Boteler, the main guard consisted of "about twenty Muscat soldiers, lounging on the stone benches on either side, with eye intent on vacancy, and armed with their shields, swords and pikes. A large assortment of matchlocks, suspended from the walls above them, resembled those used by the primitive small-arm men in England."{{sfn|Boteler|1835|pp=382–383}} However, the security offered by the fort encouraged construction around it during the 19th century, including a shopfront.{{sfn|Lamu Fort Historical Background: National Museum}}

The importance of Lamu in the Lamu Archipelago grew at the expense of Pate in the years that followed the fort's construction.{{sfn|Poblete|2007|p=111}} The Sultan used Lamu Fort as a base for defeating the Mazrui rebels in Mombasa, and for establishing control over the East African coast. He moved the capital of his sultanate to Zanzibar. With its strategic importance lost, Lamu soon declined in economic importance in comparison to Mombasa and Zanzibar.{{sfn|Trillo|2002|p=555}}

Lamu Fort was turned into a prison in 1910 by the British colonial administration.{{sfn|Lamu Fort Historical Background: National Museum}} In the 1950s Mau Mau detainees were held in the fort.{{sfn|Poblete|2007|p=136}}

The fort continued to be used as a prison after the independence of Kenya until 1984.

It was then given to the National Museums of Kenya, who converted the fort into a museum with help from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency.{{sfn|Lamu Fort Historical Background: National Museum}}

The Lamu Fort was declared a scheduled monument on 15 May 1984.{{sfn|Kibaki|1984|p=624}} Restoration was undertaken carefully.{{sfn|Dworski|1988|p=46}} A temporary exhibition was opened in 1993.{{sfn|Trillo|2002|p=563}}

The fort today includes a museum with an exhibition on the ground floor mainly concerned with environmental conservation. The courtyard is used by the local community for meetings, weddings and public performances.

There are offices, laboratories and a workshop on the second floor, and a conference facility that is available for rent.{{sfn|Lamu Fort Historical Background: National Museum}} The fort houses a library{{Citation |title=Lamu Fort Library |date=2025-01-04 |work=Wikipedia |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamu_Fort_Library#Library_Services |access-date=2025-01-04 |language=en}} with an excellent collection of Swahili poetry and reference material on Lamu.{{sfn|Fitzpatrick|2009|p=330}}

The ramparts of the fort give panoramic views of the town.{{sfn|Trillo|2002|p=563}}

The Zamani Project document cultural heritage sites in 3D to create a record for future generations.{{Cite journal|last1=Rüther|first1=Heinz|last2=Rajan|first2=Rahim S.|date=2007|title=Documenting African Sites: The Aluka Project|journal=Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians|volume=66|issue=4|pages=437–443|doi=10.1525/jsah.2007.66.4.437|issn=0037-9808|jstor=10.1525/jsah.2007.66.4.437}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.isprs.org/proceedings/xxxiv/6-w6/papers/ruther.pdf|title=AN AFRICAN HERITAGE DATABASE – THE VIRTUAL PRESERVATION OF AFRICA'S PAST|last=Rüther|first=Heinz|date=|website=isprs.org|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/01/05/africa/preserving-heritage-african-sites-3-d/index.html|title=Meet the scientists immortalizing African heritage in virtual reality|last=Giles|first=Chris|website=CNN|access-date=2019-10-17}}{{Cite web|url=https://qz.com/africa/1499880/africas-heritage-sites-brought-to-life-in-3d/|title=Africa's great heritage sites are being mapped out with point precision lasers|last=Wild|first=Sarah|website=Quartz Africa|language=en|access-date=2019-10-17}} The documentation is based on terrestrial laser-scanning.{{Cite journal|last1=Rüther|first1=Heinz|last2=Held|first2=Christof|last3=Bhurtha|first3=Roshan|last4=Schroeder|first4=Ralph|last5=Wessels|first5=Stephen|date=2012-01-13|title=From Point Cloud to Textured Model, the Zamani Laser Scanning Pipeline in Heritage Documentation|url=http://www.sajg.org.za/index.php/sajg/article/view/20|journal=South African Journal of Geomatics|language=en|volume=1|issue=1|pages=44–59–59|issn=2225-8531}}{{Cite web|url=https://zamaniproject.org/transfer/Challenges_in_Heritage_Documentation_with_Terrestrial_Laser_Scanning_2011.pdf|title=Challenges in Heritage Documentation with Terrestrial Laser Scanning|last=|first=|date=|website=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}} The 3D documentation of the lamu Fort was carried out in 2006.{{Cite web|url=https://zamaniproject.org/site-kenya-lamu-fort.html#header5-ic|title=Site - Lamu Fort|website=zamaniproject.org|access-date=2019-10-28}} 3D models, plans and images can be view [https://zamaniproject.org/site-kenya-lamu-fort.html#header5-ic here]

Notes

{{notes}}

Citations

{{reflist |colwidth=30em}}

Sources

{{refbegin}}

• {{cite book|last1=Biersteker|first1=Ann|last2=Shariff|first2=Ibrahim Noor|title=Mashairi ya Vita vya Kuduhu: War Poetry in Kiswahili Exchanged at the Time of the Battle of Kuduhu |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D1riOLGZnJUC&pg=PT36|access-date=10 December 2013|date=1 January 2012|publisher=MSU Press|isbn=978-0-87013-894-2}}
• {{cite book |url=https://archive.org/stream/narrativeavoyag02botegoog#page/n414/mode/2up|access-date=10 December 2013|volume=1 |title=Narrative of a Voyage of Discovery to Africa and Arabia: performed in His Majesty's ship Leven and Barracouta from 1821 to 1826. |last=Boteler|first=Thomas|year=1835|publisher=R. Bentley}}
• {{cite book|last=Dworski|first=Susan|title=Islands Magazine|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sxykJWteWdkC&pg=PA46|access-date=10 December 2013 |date=September–October 1988|chapter=Lamu |publisher=Islands |issn=0745-7847}}
• {{cite book|last=Fitzpatrick|first=Mary|title=East Africa|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q3e8P7XvcokC&pg=PA330|access-date=10 December 2013

|year=2009|publisher=Lonely Planet|isbn=978-1-74104-769-1}}

• {{cite web|ref={{harvid|Home: The Shela Fort}}|url=http://thefortshela.com/

|title=Home|publisher= The Shela Fort|access-date=10 December 2013}}

• {{cite book|last=Kibaki|first=Mwai|title=Kenya Gazette|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2VPihPkUF1sC&pg=PA624|access-date=10 December 2013

|date=25 May 1984|chapter=The Antiquities and Monuments Act }}

• {{cite web|ref={{harvid|Lamu Fort Historical Background: National Museum}}|url=http://www.museums.or.ke/content/view/55/24/|title=Lamu Fort Historical Background|publisher=National Museum, Kenya|access-date=10 December 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130423085551/http://www.museums.or.ke/content/view/55/24/|archive-date=23 April 2013|df=dmy-all}}
• {{cite book|url=https://archive.org/stream/narrativevoyage00owengoog#page/n229/mode/1up|volume=1

|title=Narrative of Voyages to Explore the Shores of Africa, Arabia, and Madagascar; Performed in H. M. ships Leven and Barracouta under the direction of Captain W. F. W. Owen

|last=Owen|first=W. F. W.|year=1833|publisher=J. & J. Harper}}

• {{cite book|last=Poblete|first=Mayvilynne Alice Hechanova

|title="This is Traditional, this is Not Islamic": Perceiving Some Swahili Childbirth and Child-rearing Beliefs and Practices in Light of Mila (custom) and Dini (religion).

|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Nxns72ZbCGoC&pg=PR35|access-date=10 December 2013|year=2007|isbn=978-0-549-22166-1}}

• {{cite journal|last=Pouwels|first=Randall L.|year=1991 |title=The Battle of Shela : The Climax of an Era and a Point of Departure in the Modem History of the Kenya Coast

|journal=Cahiers d'études africaines |volume=31|issue=123|pages=363–389

|doi=10.3406/cea.1991.1581

}}

• {{cite web|ref={{harvid|The Fort, Shela Beach: SleepOut}}|url=http://www.sleepout.co.ke/The-Fort-Lamu-p/the_fort.htm

|title=The Fort, Shela Beach|work=SleepOut|access-date=10 December 2013}}

• {{cite book|last=Trillo|first=Richard|title=Kenya|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=99x5ea1Gq-cC&pg=PA555|access-date=10 December 2013

|year=2002|publisher=Rough Guides|isbn=978-1-85828-859-8}}

{{refend}}

{{Commonscatinline}}

• [https://archive.today/20130702230546/http://www.museums.or.ke/content/blogcategory/18/24/ Lamu Fort] at the National Museums of Kenya website
• Lamu Fort Library at the National Museums of Kenya website

{{Good article}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lamu Fort}}

Category:Forts in Kenya

Category:Lamu Archipelago

Category:Monuments and memorials in Kenya

Category:Swahili architecture