Kenya, located in eastern Africa, is the 48th-largest nation in the world. The two major cities in Kenya are Nairobi and Mombasa, both of which have long histories in both culture and society. The country is renowned across the world for its magnificent architecture, wildlife preserves, and varied climatic regions. This essay focuses on how modernisation and cultural, social, and political circumstances altered Kenyan architecture and how different rulers or civilisation leave their architectural marks on Kenya.
Hyrax hill prehistoric site
The hill is significant because it has undergone various stages of habitation and has been the subject of extensive archaeological research dating back to 1937. The Archaeologists found several tombs and a series of unfinished stone enclosures as proof of late-Iron Age settlement. This material is thought to be 200 years old and dates back to the late Iron Age. During the 1937 excavation, a substantially older occupation layer from the Late Stone Age was discovered. The place is currently referred to on museum signage as the “Neolithic mass burial” as a result of the finding of multiple graves.
Ruins of Gedi
Gedi is a historical and archaeological site in eastern Kenya, close to the Indian Ocean coast. The Swahili coastal towns that span from Mogadishu, Somalia, to the Zambezi River in Mozambique include Gedi as one of their numerous historic coastal communities. A walled town and its surrounding region can be found at the Gedi site. The mosques, a palace, and other residences still standing in Gedi are all made of stone, have one story, and are dispersed unevenly around the town. The settlement also had sizable open spaces with homes made of thatch and earth. Gedi also features stone “pillar tombs,” a particular kind of Swahili Coast architecture.
Fort Jesus
The Fort Jesus is proof of the first successful Western attempt to control the Indian Ocean trade routes, which up until that point, had been dominated by Eastern civilisation. The Portuguese built the fort between 1593 and 1596 to protect the port of Mombasa over a spur of coral rock and kept it under their control for a century. The fort’s design embodies Renaissance military architectural theory with its dimensions, towering walls, and five bastions. Fort Jesus is a physical reminder of the exchange of cultural beliefs and influences between and among individuals of European, African, Arab, Turkish, and Persian ancestry who fought to seize and hold onto control of this important port, as well as the changes it underwent over time.
Ruins of Mnarani
Mnarani is one of the most remarkable historical and archaeological sites in Coastal East Africa, situated on a hillside with views of Kilifi Creek. The Great Mosque, with its intricately carved inscription surrounding the mihrab (prayer niche denoting the direction of Mecca), many arches, and inscribed jambs, is the best-preserved ruin. It’s interesting to note that the tombstones and mosques in this area have Persian inscriptions, which may indicate that the original inhabitants of Mnarani were Persians from Oman. The eastern tower contains the still-standing foundations of the larger and smaller mosques. The mosque is divided into six sections: a well where water was brought and collected in a tank for use before prayers; a baraza where sandals were put before entering the mosque; a place for men and women to pray; a place for imams to change; and a pulpit, or “kibla” in Arabic. The ruins also contain a dried-up 75-foot-deep well, a conical-shaped arrangement of logs, and the remains of coral reefs; these logs would be burned by the ancient Swahilis to create limestone powder for buildings.
Siyu fort
According to research, a Siyu leader named Bwana Mataka, whose full name was Mohammed Ishaq bin Mbarak bin Mohamed bin Oman Famau built the fort in the 19th century. It was intended to protect Siyu inhabitants against Omani Arab dominance. Siyu defeated the Zanzibar Sultans in multiple wars, earning him historical fame. When Zanzibar was conquered in 1863, Siyu was among the last coastal towns in East Africa to fall under its sway. There is a modest mosque inside the coral fort. Additionally, Bwana Mataka built a palace for himself that can still be seen today and restored a portion of the town. In addition to the Fort, Siyu host remains of numerous tombs and mosques.
Nairobi Gallery
The structure has numerous ties to Nairobi’s history, growth, and inhabitants. The Native Ministry was housed in a structure constructed in 1913 during British control that the settler population affectionately dubbed “Hatches, Matches, and Dispatches” due to the births, marriages, and deaths registered there. The Gallery is a prime example of Victorian architecture, with natural stone pediments, friezes, niches, and columns adorning the building’s facade. The original entry goes into an octagonal dome chamber (point zero) covered with a lovely dome from the roundabout. The rooms surrounding the central area stretch outward and are divided into two wings. Some windows and doors are of teak wood, and the walls have a smooth line plaster finish with a patterned ceiling.
Uhuru garden National maonument and museum
Kenya’s independence from the British Empire on December 12, 1963, is commemorated by the Uhuru Gardens National Monument and Museum, a memorial park and museum in Nairobi, Kenya. There are three significant points in it:
- The Mugumo tree was planted exactly where the Union Jack, or more likely the previous Flag of the Colony of Kenya, was taken down and replaced with the Flag of Kenya.
- A twenty-four-meter-high column supporting two clasped hands and a dove of peace, the independence anniversary monument was constructed in 1973. This section honours the independence anthem. On the same night, it commemorates Jomo Kenyatta’s swearing-in as Kenya’s first president.
- a Fountain commemorates “25 years of Uhuru – the monument to peace, love, and unity.”
KICC Building
Nairobi, Kenya, is home to the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), formerly known as the Kenyatta International Conference Centre. Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, the country’s first president, gave it a commission in 1967. The KICC, which is a key address for several Government agencies, is situated in Nairobi’s City Square. David Mutiso was the architect of it. The skyscraper has 28 stories total, featuring a rotating restaurant that rotates 360 degrees in 76 minutes and provides panoramic views of the city. The Plenary hall is made of cuboids, the tower is a cylinder made of many cuboids, the amphitheatre is shaped like a cone, and the helipad is made of light terracotta, which is reminiscent of traditional African architecture.
African Heritage House
The African Heritage House, constructed by American Alan Donovan, co-founder of the African Heritage Pan African Galleries, overlooks the Nairobi National Park and combines mud architectures across Africa. The interior has a characteristic African aesthetic, with doors from Lamu, an inner courtyard inspired by Moroccan culture, and fabric that, among other things, demonstrates the African eye for detail and artistic expression. The collection of African items in this home, which is so unique and priceless that it has been designated a national monument, makes it unique. All of the numerous decorating styles used in the rooms are emblematic of various African cultures. The guest suites, which include the Ashanti suite, Lamu suite, Moroccan suite, and Bakuba suite, represent the cultures of these many places. From the African artists’ works hanging on the walls down to the Kente curtains
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