The Doors of Stone Town

Located off the coast of Tanzania in the Indian Ocean, Zanzibar has long been a center of trade. It was during its heyday of the spice trade when the island and its capital city, Stone Town, experienced its golden age.

Throughout its history, Zanzibar has been influenced by the many civilizations that lived and traded there, the indigenous Swahili populations, Omani, Indian, Persian, Portuguese and others. Each group left a mark through its art, music, food and architecture. But it is through its doors that we can know and appreciate the town’s cultural history.      

Zanzibar's iconic carved wooden doors tell the story of the main groups that gave the island its identity; Swahili, Arab and Indian (Gujarati). Where else in the world can you look at a door and tell who lives there, their religion, what they do for a living and how wealthy they are?

Swahili Doors: The earliest type of door was created by the original Swahili inhabitants. Characterized by rectangular, geometric designs and linear carvings.  They are often rounded at the top. The designs are more generally tied to nature representing waves and local traditions. They may look simpler than the other door types, but they convey their African roots, and a representation of what life was like before the many other cultural influences arrived.  

Arab/Omani Doors: Arab traders brought their own designs with them from the Persian Gulf. These frequently included quotes from the Quran. These doors tend to be larger and more impressive. They feature flowing designs found in Islamic artistic traditions. Many of these doors were found on the homes of wealthy Arab merchants, dignitaries and other authority figures so they represented prestige and social standing.

Indian/Gujarati Doors: Indian merchants and traders also brought their artistic designs with them to Stone Town. These doors tend to be thick with heavy brass studs. The studs were historically designed to protect against war elephants in India. Today the studs are exclusively decorative but during the time of the profitable spice trade, they displayed the wealth of the inhabitants.

Today many of the doors are in need of repair but you can still see how beautiful they once were in their heyday. The doors are unique to Stone Town. So much so that the town itself has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site.