Old Boma, Dar es Salaam

The Old Boma of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania is one of the city's oldest buildings.^[1][2] It is located at the crossing of Morogoro Road and Sokoine Drive, facing the harbor and adjacent to the City Hall.^[3] It was built in 1866-67 by Majid bin Said, sultan of Zanzibar, close to his palace (now demolished). He also commissioned other buildings in the same area, such as the White Fathers' House.^[4] Under German colonial rule it was restored and enlarged. Distinctive features of the building include the zanzibari-style carved wooden door and coral stone walls.

The Boma now houses the Dar es Salaam Centre for Architectural Heritage (DARCH). DARCH displays a permanent exhibition on the architectural heritage and evolution of Dar es Salaam. It also provides specific tourist information related to architecture and built heritage, and is a venue for temporary exhibitions on art, photography and architecture.

Footnotes

1. Sutton, J.E.G. (1970). "Dar es Salaam: a sketch of a hundred years". Tanzania Notes and Records (71): 4–5, plate 3.
2. Seifert, Annika (2017). The Old Boma. Dar es Salaam: Mkuki na Nyota.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
3. Casson, W.T. (1970). "Architectural Notes on Dar es Salaam". Tanzania Notes and Records (71): 182, plate 36.
4. Casson, W.T. (1970). "Architectural Notes on Dar es Salaam". Tanzania Notes and Records (71): 181.