Zanzibar: Stone Town – Christ Church

The Christ Church was built right on the former slave market in Stone Town in 1870, with the altar said to be directly above the area where slaves were whipped to assess their strength. Its construction, shortly after slavery was abolished in Zanzibar, served as a statement against the atrocities of the slave trade. The cathedral’s design reflects a blend of Gothic and Islamic architectural styles, with arches, tall stained glass windows, and ribbed vaults and an overall fortress-like appearance. The interior includes a wooden crucifix made from the tree under which famed British explorer David Livingstone’s heart was buried in Africa.