Ihla de Moçambique

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Ihla de Mozambique played a huge role in the history of eastern Africa, the slave trade and the Portuguese dominance over Mozambique. Before the Portuguese took over the island was used by Arab traders. Unfortunately for them and fortunately for the Portuguese their weapons weren’t that great and the Portuguese took over in the early 1500. They were quick to build the Chapel of Nossa Senhora de Baluarte, in 1522 which is considered to be the oldest European building in the southern hemisphere. Shortly after they realize that they cannot defend the Island with a bible and build the impressive Fort of São Sebastião. Both of which are still standing.

The island was up until the early 1900 the focal point of Portuguese trade (spices, slaves and gold) to and from Africa and India and later the capital of Mozambique. Only sometime last century the capital was relocated to Maputo.

Not too bad for an island which is roughly 3km long and somewhere between 200 and 500m wide. The demise of Ihla is unfortunate for the inhabitants but very fortunate for the few tourists which come here. Not much has changed over the last few hundred years which is the main attraction. You can imagine that an island which had such a central role also attracted serious money and this is reflected in some of the houses which are still there. The island is roughly divided into two areas. There is stone town and its impressive old buildings and then there is Makuti Town which is where the less fortunate lived.

Stone town is the main attraction of Ihla de Mozambique. It is really nor hard to imagine to be in the year 1600 so and so and to think how it must have been back then. The streets are made of dirt and there are only a handful of “new” houses. You walk around one corner and you are on a very Portuguese placa and then you turn into a small side street and you are in a scene of Ali Baba and the 40 thieves. Great place to be and very relaxing. Due to nothing better to do and the need to rest a bit I stayed here for over 7 days. There was a lot of book reading, midday gin and tonic drinking, afternoon beer drinking and some walking around to be done.

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Photos

Dhow’s
Doesn’t look like the construction methods changed in the last 500 years. The one I was on had a tree trunk as mast (with bark on)

Chapel of Nossa Senhora de Baluarte
Not very impressive but pretty cool as it is the oldest european building in the southern hemisphere