With my parent being a Zanzibari, it did not matter if i was born in Dar es Salaam, the
capital city of Tanzania. The proximity between the two cities would always seem me
travelling back and forth very, very often. The stories i would be told as a child were
those of Zanzibar. The life i adored, and still do, is life in Zanzibar, my city, my home!.
THE WONDERS OF HOUSE OF WONDERS
SULTAN SEYYID BARGHASH 1883
I could still remember my childhood days in Zanzibar, roaming around the narrow
streets of the stone town of Zanzibar, finding my way to the sea front of the town,
through the very clustered streets, to reach the Forodhani Park, the Zanzibari’s favorite.
This once known Jubilee Garden is actually an extension to the iconic House of Wonders, wiping away a very existing economic harbor to complement the sole purpose of
the building’s creation, a ceremonial garden to the ceremonial building. Even today,
where the uses of the building and the Garden have changed, they still complement
each other. Who was the man who had such thoughts?, i once wondered!.
Sultan Seyyid Barghash was a leader, a traveller, a wonderer. After having issues with the
royal family on his succession to the throne, he decided to travel, to India, Paris and
London. It is through his visit, he learnt a lot on buildings, infrastucture and installations.
These ideas that were then implemented during his reign. They say go and learn from
others, and make better what you know, or what you have. I say do not remain in your
home and expect for wonders to happen, go look for them!.
Built in 1883 by the Sultan with assistance from a Scottish Marine Engineer, the Building
was named as Beit Al Ajaib, the arabic for House of Wonders, not by the Sultan, but by
the spectators. To date, an average person who travels to Zanzibar, would also wonder
about the building in the context. They thought well!.
What was then considered wonderful about the building, may not seem relevant claims
for the name today. It was amazing then to see the first tall building built with British cast
iron pillars, its beautiful Zanzibar doors that are fully carved with beautiful patterns or
Quranic calligraphy and armed with indian door bosses, its grand internal courtyard
complemented by the wonderfully structured straicase and the skylight, and the first
installations of elevator, piped water and electricity. People have gotten used to such
things, How easy it is to whitewash wonders!.
An essay ubmitted by
SALUM MASOUD SAID AL RIYAMY
EXCHANGE STUDENT 2017 - UNIVERSITY OF HASSELT
The damage from the shortest war in the history of the world, the addition of the lighthouse tower, multiple changes of its use, the fall of its side balcony are some of the major
milestones in the life of the building. Regardless, the building still holds the special place
in the society, and has always been considered as house of wonders, not by name, but
through the impact it placed and it has in the formation of the stone town. It is the keystone building to the stone town. The softened wonders from the history, have a big
impact in our present time!
The true wonders of the building lies in the hearts, as little as it is cared physically, there
exists a deep connection between the building and the hearts of the people. The house
is a heritage in the hearts of not only Zanzibaris, but infecting Tanzanians as well. Zanzibar without the House of Wonders is inconceivable!