Hotel Jannat House Lamu Kenya

In Lamu Old Town

How do you go to Lamu? Maps of Kenya and Lamu		Lamu town - world heritage Kenya's Lamu Old Town gains World Heritage status December 2001 - UNESCO has added Lamu Old Town, Kenya, to its list of World Heritage sites. Announcing the move, UNESCO states: "Lamu is the oldest and best-preserved Swahili settlement in East Africa, retaining its traditional functions. Built in coral stone and mangrove timber, the town is characterized by the simplicity of structural forms enriched by such features as inner courtyards, verandas, and elaborately carved wooden doors. Lamu has hosted major Muslim religious festivals since the 19th century, and has become a significant centre for the study of Islamic and Swahili cultures. Read more about the history of Lamu and Kenya .
	The streets and buildings The streets of Lamu are narrow, cool and quiet. There are surprisingly intimate spaces enclosed by massive stone buildings whose thick coral rag walls give the town its distinct colour and texture.The narrow streets keep the heat away.		Religious and domestic buildings are difficult to distinguish from one another.Both are simple with few openings and neither has any exterior decoration except for Lamu's characteristic heavy carved doors
Donkeys are the only transports on the island, so the animals are very important and they have a special donkey hospital.		At the main square people stop and enjoys a chat.
		Sights There are numerous sights in and around Lamu worth exploring, such as the villages of Shela and Matondoni, Lamu Fort and the Swahili House Museum. Shela's most prominent landmark is Friday Mosque, and Matondoni is known for its shipwrights who build the traditional lateen rigged dhows. Lamu Fort is a cultural and community centre housing maritime and natural history exhibits. Once a year they arrange the Lamu Cultural festival.
		Pictures copyright (C) 2002-2007 Björn Edman