CITIES
Dodoma has been the capital of Tanzania since 1973. It is located almost in the center of the country. The city was founded at the end of the 19th century on the trade route from the coast to Lake Tanganyika, as one of the German colonial settlements. For tourists, the city will not be very interesting. Sights include the building of the National Assembly and the complex of government offices, the city market, two Christian churches, the sacred temple of the Sikhs and the geological museum. South of Dodoma is the Kisingo Reserve, where you can hunt wild animals.
According to Top-mba-universities, Dar es Salaam is located in the northern part of the coast of Tanzania on the shore of the harbor. The city was founded in 1862 by the Sultan of Zanzibar. Majid ibn Said. It is the largest city and the main commercial port of the country. Dar es Salaam was the capital of Tanzania from 1961 until the decision in 1973 to move it to Dodoma, but most ministries and all foreign embassies are still located here.
The main streets of the city originate from the port harbor, where the main attractions are located. Along the harbor stretches the promenade with rows of coconut trees, numerous shops and restaurants. The architecture of Dar es Salaam is amixture of German, British, African and Asian styles. Among its attractions are the Asian quarter with the streets of India and Indira Gandhi, Kariakoo Market, Clock Tower, St. Joseph’s Cathedral, University of Dar es Salaam, St. Peter ‘s Cathedral, Sultan Majid’s Palace, and numerous mosques along Mosque Street.
The city has several museums – the National Museum with a collection of archaeological finds and an anthropological collection; Village Museum with an exposition telling about the life of the peoples of Tanzania; and the Nyumba i Sanaa Art Gallery with a collection of local handicrafts.
72 km north of Dar es Salaam is the city of Bagamoyo, from where it is the closest to get to the island of Zanzibar. This is the oldest city in Tanzania.. In the village of Kaole, 5 km south of Bagamoyo, there are the ruins of two mosques made of coral stone and tombs dating back to the 13th century. The building of the Roman Catholic Church is also interesting in the city; it is considered the oldest Catholic church in East and Central Africa (1868). Here, in 1874, Livingston’s body was kept before being sent to his homeland.
The city of Arusha is located in the northeastern part of Tanzania at the foot of Mount Meru at an altitude of 1500 m. It was founded in the early 20th century by the Germans as the administrative center of the colony. It now houses the East African Community Center and the International Tribunal for the Rwanda Genocide. Arusha – the starting point for a safari in the northern part of Tanzania. Most of the tourist offices offering trips to the National Parks and many hotels are located here. The most popular safari destinations in northern Tanzania are the Serengeti Park, Ngorongoro Game Reserve, Lake Manyara Park and Tarangire Park.
The city of Kigoma is located on the eastern shore of Lake Tanganyika in its northern part. It is the terminus on the railway route from Dar es Salaam, as well as the main port of Lake Tanganyika. The city is quite modern. In the center of it is a square, from which only one main road departs. From Kigoma, you can go to the Gonbe National Park and the Mahale Mountains National Park.
ZANZIBAR
Zanzibar Island is located 40 km east of the African continent. This island is one of the oldest trading centers in the world. Since the 5th century, Zanzibar has become a transit point for Persian, Arab and Indian traders. The influence of Asia is noticeable here and now – the majority of the inhabitants are Muslims, and the architecture is dominated by Arabic motifs.
The main attraction of the island is the ancient district of the city of Zanzibar Stone Town (“Stone City”). Its construction began in 1831. Now it is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Here, in numerous small streets, there are 51 mosques, 6 Hindu temples and 2 Catholic churches, as well as a large number of buildings made of coral stone. The most interesting is the old Arab fort built in the 18th century. Now you can have a bite to eat and even spend the night here. From time to time performances and concerts are held in the buildings of the fort. Among the attractions you can also highlight the Cathedral of Christ, the Cathedral of St. Joseph, one of the oldest mosques in the area – Malindi with a conical minaret (there are only 3 such mosques in East Africa), as well as the Beit el-Adjaib Palace, which previously served as the residence of Queen Fatuma, and It was named so due to the fact that it was the first building with an elevator.
There are also many places on the island that will be of interest to tourists. To the north of the city of Zanzibar, 2 km from it, are the ruins of the Maruhubi palace complex. It was built in 1880 for the harem of Sultan Barkhash and became the most beautiful residential building on the entire island. The remains of the main building with columns have been preserved to this day. Beautiful gardens can be seen not far from them. It is believed that they were planted after the Sultan visited Richmond Park in London.
Marukhubi is adjacent to the ruins of the Mtoni Palace, which was built in 1840 under Sultan Said. Kibweni Palace is located 3 km north of Mtoni.- the only palace on the island that is used for public purposes, the president of the country and important guests of Tanzania stop here. Of the ruins of ancient buildings on the island, no less interesting are Kidichi with the remains of Persian baths from the 19th century, Chuini with an observation tower, Kizimbani with the remains of the village residence of Sultan Said, and Fukuchani dating back to the 16th century.
20 km north of the city of Zanzibar is the city of Mangapwani., the main attractions of which are the Coral Cave and the complex of the Slave Caves. At the bottom of the Coral Cave is a small freshwater lake, which has become an important source of fresh water in the area. Slave caves are damp, dark dungeons where slaves were hidden in the 19th century after the slave trade was banned.
In the southeast of the island there is a conservation area – Jozani Forest, where mangroves with giant ferns and lianas are crossed by wooden bridges. The forest is known for the fact that a large number of monkeys live here – red geranians. They are not afraid of people and make contact with tourists. Excursions to spice plantations from Zanzibar, because more than half of the island is occupied by plantations of cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and other spices. In the south of Zanzibar, the Menai Bay Conservation Area is located, where sea turtles are protected, which come to these shores to lay their eggs. Also not far from the city coast is Prizon Island, which was once a place of imprisonment for slaves. The island is interesting because here you can watch giant land turtles. They were brought here many years ago from the Seychelles and are now the inhabitants of this island.
