Island of Mozambique
Island of Mozambique is a coral island 4 km off the coast of Mozambique, near Madagascar. The island is also home to the city of the same name, where you can admire the oldest European buildings in the Southern Hemisphere. The colony and then the state of Mozambique itself was named after this island. In 1991, the island and the city of Mozambique were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
History
An idyllic coral paradise discovered by Vasco da Gama’s expedition in 1498, the island of Mozambique is washed by the crystal clear waves of the Indian Ocean near Madagascar. Abundant with architectural contrasts, the island’s port is characterized by Arab, Indian and Portuguese influences, reminiscent of the days when it was a major trading port on the sea route from Europe to the West Indies. The city grew and land along the coast was acquired by various companies. Finally, the city became so large and the houses so diverse that it was decided to transform it somehow by building limestone houses with wooden beams, just like the ones that stand on the crooked streets surrounding the central square. The facades of the buildings feature cornices, tall rectangular windows with platbands and rows of decorative pilasters, while the flat roofs still help to collect rainwater as there are no fresh water sources on the island.
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Due to its convenient geographical location, Mozambique City was the largest harbor in the region. For several centuries, the slave trade was the main source of income here. In the late 19th century, Mozambique became the seat of the Portuguese governor-general and Catholic bishop, and the consulates of several European countries were located here. The governor’s palace, cathedral, customs building, large stores of traders from Germany, France and Switzerland were built. The city was divided into two parts: European and native. Until 1898, the city of Mozambique was the administrative center of the colony of Mozambique, then the “capital” was moved to Lorença Marques (now Maputo).
.Tourists
Enjoy a stroll here while a lazy breeze caresses your face and bunnies of sunlight run from one house to another. You can rent bicycles from the tourist office. In 30 minutes or so you’ll cross the small island, but you’ll be struck by the laid-back atmosphere of the place, and the friendliness of the locals – they’ll smile and raise their hats whenever you show up on the street. The climate on the island is flat all year round, but there are two rainy seasons: February-April and November-January.
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