Kilwa

When the Portuguese sailed around Africa in the 16^th century, one of the greatest cities on the coast of what is now Tanzania was Kilwa. It was then one of the centres of Swahili civilisation. The Portuguese made its ruler accept the sovereignty of the king of Portugal and built a fortress. The Portuguese made the same with other Swahili cities but whereas other cities, like Zanzibar or Mombasa, later became prosperous, fortunes of Kilwa declined and eventually the city was abandoned. Only ruins now remain, where sheep from a nearby village run between pillars of once magnificent mosque and baobabs grow through the walls of ancient palaces. The city stood on an island which was supposed to provide safety, nowadays one can go there with a Swahili sailor in a wind-blown dhow.