What are the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Kenya?
Known for its safaris, Kenya is also renowned for its historical and cultural heritage.
Known for its safaris, Kenya is also renowned for its historical and cultural heritage. From the old town of Lamu to the Lake Turkana national parks: discover all the sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in Kenya!
Historical sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in Kenya
The old town of Lamu
Located in the Indian Ocean, the Lamu archipelago consists of several islets. Among the three largest islands, you will find the eponymous island, renowned for its splendid historic heart (listed in 2001).
Regarded as one of the most important cultural sites of Swahili culture, the old town of Lamu is a major pilgrimage site for Muslims in East Africa. Built in the 12th century, it showcases multicultural architecture (notably Persian, European and Indian influences) and many monuments erected in mangrove wood and coral stone!
Practical information Location: Lamu County How to get there: direct flights from the international airports of Jomo Kenyatta (Nairobi) and Moi (Mombasa). Once you arrive in Lamu, you will need to take a short boat crossing to the site. |
The sacred Mijikenda kaya forests
Comprising a collection of ten distinct forest sites, the sacred forests were listed on UNESCO in 2008. Why? Because they are home to fortified villages (the famous kayas), erected from the 16th century onwards. These ancestral dwellings bear witness to the beliefs and religious practices of the Mijikenda people.
Abandoned in the 1940s, these villages were once governed by strict moral codes and traditions, in harmony with nature. The purpose of these rules was to ensure the sanctity of the forests – vegetation or wood could not, for example, be cut down.
Practical information Location: the sacred Mijikenda kaya forests extend over nearly 200 km along the Kenyan coast. |
Fort Jesus in Mombasa
Built between 1593 and 1596 by Portuguese colonists, Fort Jesus is located on the island of Mombasa – a port city in southern Kenya. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011, this magnificent 16th-century building houses several cannons, carved doors and a museum that provides insight into the island's history.
Equipped with five bastions, the fort also reflects typical Renaissance architecture, while modifications made over the centuries testify to the influences of different cultures (Turkish, Arab, African, Persian and European).
Practical information Location: Mombasa Island How to get there: by SGR train (Standard Gauge Railway) from Nairobi |
The Thimlich Ohinga archaeological site
Located northwest of the city of Migori, the Thimlich Ohinga archaeological site is a historical treasure dating from the 16th century. Built with dry stone, this monument is a type of protective rampart erected to protect communities and their livestock. Today, Thimlich Ohinga is one of the most important testimonies to the "characteristics of early pastoral communities in the Lake Victoria basin,
