Songo Mnara Ruins | |
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![]() Inside the Main Building | |
Type | Settlement |
Location | Kilwa District, Lindi Region, ![]() |
Coordinates | 9°2′58″S 39°34′2″E / 9.04944°S 39.56722°E |
Built | 9th century |
Architectural style(s) | Swahili architecture |
Governing body | Antiquities Division, Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism [1] |
Owner | Tanzania Government |
Official name | Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Ruins of Songo Mnara |
Type | Cultural |
Criteria | iii |
Designated | 1981 (5th session) |
Reference no. | 144 |
UNESCO Region | Africa |
Endangered | 2004–2014[2] |
Official name | Songo Mnara Ruins |
Type | Cultural |
Songo Mnara is a historic Swahiili settlement in located on Songo Mnara Island in Pande Mikoma, Kilwa District in Lindi Region of Tanzania. The island is home to a Medieval Swahili stone town. The stone town was occupied from the 14th to 16th centuries.[3] Songo Mnara has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with nearby stone town Kilwa Kisiwani.[4] In total, archaeologists have found six mosques, four cemeteries, and two dozen house blocks along with three enclosed open spaces on the island.[5] Songo Mnara was constructed from rough-coral and mortar.[6] This stonetown was built as one of many trade towns on the Indian Ocean.[4] The site is a registered National Historic Site.[7]
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