Kilwa Kisiwani
Kilwa Kisiwani island, Lindi Region, Tanzania
What happened
Kilwa Kisiwani is a small island off the coast of southern Tanzania, in East Africa. From the 9th century CE, it grew into a rich Swahili trading city whose ships carried gold, ivory and iron across the Indian Ocean. Its merchants traded with Arabia, Persia, India and China.
Why it matters
Kilwa was one of the most powerful trading ports on the East African coast and controlled much of the region's gold trade. Its stone mosques and palaces show the wealth and skill of Swahili civilization.
What came next
In 1505, Portuguese forces attacked and took the city, and its power declined. Its ruins, together with those on nearby Songo Mnara, became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981.
Did you know?
When the traveller Ibn Battuta visited in 1331, he called Kilwa one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
Timeline
- 9th century CEPeople settle on Kilwa Kisiwani.
- c. 1100 CEKilwa begins minting its own coins.
- 1331Ibn Battuta visits Kilwa.
- 1505Portuguese forces take the city.
- 1981The ruins become a UNESCO World Heritage Site.