Old Slave Market/Anglican Cathedral
Old Slave Market/Anglican Cathedral
Old Slave Market/Anglican Cathedral
4.3
About
The Heritage Centre therefore among other things aims at promoting tolerance, reconciliation and an inclusive society, bridging social and ethnic divides by telling the story of this dark chapter in the region’s history in an open and factual way. The creation of the Heritage Centre, and making it accessible to school children, who are the country’s future leaders, is also aimed to promote interfaith and inter-communal dialogue and understanding. Furthermore The Site is an important tourist destination, and by improving visitors’ facilities at the site and making it more informative and stimulating, the tourism industry as a whole will benefit, creating jobs and wealth, and helping to reduce poverty. The Heritage Centre among other things is also benefiting many people as it is a great opportunity to promote interfaith relations in Zanzibar.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.3
760 reviews
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David B
44 contributions
Sept 2024 • Friends
The museum was very somber. It portrayed the plight of East Africans during the active slave trade. We learned a great deal during our 90 minutes on site. The cost to enter was US$5.00 per person and we hired a guide who approached us outside the museum. The guide is free and you tip at the end based upon your satisfaction. We had a very good guide but I noticed others were not as lucky and appeared to be rushed through the various stopping points. The neighborhood can be a little rough so having a local tour guide to get you to and from might be helpful.
Written 19 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
andreas charles
Lyon, France73 contributions
Jul 2024 • Couples
Hidden in the Centre of the city of stone town.This is the most place I wanted to go in stone as iam a history lover.
This is an important historical site in stone Town and not to be missed.
You will learn a lot about the slave trade market.This was the Centre of slave trade in East Africa.we visited the rooms where slaves were kept,very small chambers.It’s really sad to see how this people were treated .
I recommend to have a guide with you who will be a big help for the history .
Thanks to suleiman who was very kind and knowledgeable.we found him through whatsaap +255756983368.
After the stone town tour you can passby the slave market and learn alot.
Please make sure you have a guide and also don’t forget to carry entrance fees only 4usd per person.
This is an important historical site in stone Town and not to be missed.
You will learn a lot about the slave trade market.This was the Centre of slave trade in East Africa.we visited the rooms where slaves were kept,very small chambers.It’s really sad to see how this people were treated .
I recommend to have a guide with you who will be a big help for the history .
Thanks to suleiman who was very kind and knowledgeable.we found him through whatsaap +255756983368.
After the stone town tour you can passby the slave market and learn alot.
Please make sure you have a guide and also don’t forget to carry entrance fees only 4usd per person.
Written 20 October 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Amy418
Sussex, WI24 contributions
Nov 2024 • Family
Stone Town is very old and crowded, with lots of nooks and crannies. The slave market is practically next to the Anglican Cathedral (thought-provoking). It has a very small, but charmingly personal museum on Freddie Mercury's boyhood -- he was born there and moved to the UK in adolescence. Lots of handwritten music and lyrics, and reminiscences from people in his youth. The beach off Stone Town is gorgeous and our hotel was outstanding. Zanzibar is off the beaten path, but well worth a few days.
Written 7 January 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jeff K
Pittsburgh, PA2,480 contributions
Jan 2025 • Couples
We did a tour of Stone Town and this was by far the most important sight. The museum does a great job of describing in detail the slave trade in Africa and Zanzibar. You can also see where they kept the slavers prior to auction.
The Anglican Church is in the same area and is quite pretty.
Recommended.
The Anglican Church is in the same area and is quite pretty.
Recommended.
Written 27 January 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JMGeneva
Geneva, Switzerland2,010 contributions
Oct 2024 • Couples
For some reason the old slave market museum is linked to the cathedral and the same ticket gives access to both . The latter is mildly interesting at best but the former is surprisingly informative and well done. A lot is to be learnt on the slave traffic in the area and everything is clearly documented and well illustrated. Absolutely worth a visit.
Written 25 October 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Pratyush M
128 contributions
Jun 2024 • Couples
If I have to point out only one “not to miss place” in stone town, then this would be it.
The history of the slave market or the cathedral will leave you numb. You can see where the former slave market used to take place. There are 4 different spots where they take you inside this place with the guides explaining you all the history behind it. The entry fees to the place was $ 5 per person. The service of the guides is included in the entry fees.
They require you to dress modestly, so they would give a sarong to cover up, in case you aren't dressed for it.
The history of the slave market or the cathedral will leave you numb. You can see where the former slave market used to take place. There are 4 different spots where they take you inside this place with the guides explaining you all the history behind it. The entry fees to the place was $ 5 per person. The service of the guides is included in the entry fees.
They require you to dress modestly, so they would give a sarong to cover up, in case you aren't dressed for it.
Written 3 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gabriel Guillén
7 contributions
Jan 2025 • Family
Perhaps the main visit to Stone Town, along with the spice market.
The Church is built on what was the Zanzibar slave market. There is a museum that is accessible for a fee.
Ideally it is done with a local guide, who can be hired at the entrance. It's not easy to get a guide in Spanish, only English.
A story that deserves to be known
The Church is built on what was the Zanzibar slave market. There is a museum that is accessible for a fee.
Ideally it is done with a local guide, who can be hired at the entrance. It's not easy to get a guide in Spanish, only English.
A story that deserves to be known
Automatically translated
Written 5 February 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dylan C
8 contributions
Sept 2024 • Solo
Biggest scam I experienced on the island.
1) When you show up at the entrance you are approached by a random person claiming to be a guide. Guides are mandatory and they demand a tip.
2) Cash accepted only and they do not offer a refund despite requesting an odd number for cash payment. Of course, the visitor is the one that has to pay extra.
3) the guide rushed us through as fast as he could. He was an older gentleman, and was reading from his phone for all the facts. Often repeating himself up to 3 times. We asked questions, and he said wait until the end. Then disappeared at the end without answering any questions but not before collecting his demanded payment. The total tour was 20 minutes and over charged. Generally the guide was quite rude, and kept grabbing our arms to usher us through the tour faster in order to get to the next group of people.
The facility is worth seeing due to the history display and where the slaves were housed. I wish this was an entry fee only and not with the mandatory guides who are benefiting from the past suffering of slaves. If I were to do this again, I would try to get a guide that was providing a full town walking tour.
1) When you show up at the entrance you are approached by a random person claiming to be a guide. Guides are mandatory and they demand a tip.
2) Cash accepted only and they do not offer a refund despite requesting an odd number for cash payment. Of course, the visitor is the one that has to pay extra.
3) the guide rushed us through as fast as he could. He was an older gentleman, and was reading from his phone for all the facts. Often repeating himself up to 3 times. We asked questions, and he said wait until the end. Then disappeared at the end without answering any questions but not before collecting his demanded payment. The total tour was 20 minutes and over charged. Generally the guide was quite rude, and kept grabbing our arms to usher us through the tour faster in order to get to the next group of people.
The facility is worth seeing due to the history display and where the slaves were housed. I wish this was an entry fee only and not with the mandatory guides who are benefiting from the past suffering of slaves. If I were to do this again, I would try to get a guide that was providing a full town walking tour.
Written 12 October 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
laurence guill... L
Armentieres, France471 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
It is one of the emblematic places of Zanzibar located in the heart of Stown town. Allow more or less an hour of visit.
Entrance costs $5 per person. Guides are available at the entrance to show you around in exchange for a tip. We were accompanied by Souliman, a French language student.
The visit begins with the memorial to the liberation of slaves where you can see how men, women and children were chained (with the original shackles). It continues with a visit to the cathedral then to the jails where dozens of slaves were crowded before heading east. The visit ends with the museum (just explanatory panels). A small store is also present.
It's a marked place, full of history... it's poignant.
Entrance costs $5 per person. Guides are available at the entrance to show you around in exchange for a tip. We were accompanied by Souliman, a French language student.
The visit begins with the memorial to the liberation of slaves where you can see how men, women and children were chained (with the original shackles). It continues with a visit to the cathedral then to the jails where dozens of slaves were crowded before heading east. The visit ends with the museum (just explanatory panels). A small store is also present.
It's a marked place, full of history... it's poignant.
Written 16 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JudyOswestryUK
Oswestry, UK350 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
On arrival there is a security check and pay desk ,can’tt remember exact amount but reasonable entrance fee. A guide attached himself as usual to us,when we said we didn’t need he said was included in entrance price! He was able to direct us around in the correct order seeing the inside of the cathedral, memorial ,and cellar, then left us back at the fascinating display with explanation of history and photos, this was well presented and thought provoking. We were pleased not to be tied to a group tour as we spent far longer here than many being rushed round. This is not a museum to be missed , if you don’t do anything else on your visit to Stonetown, visit this!
Written 25 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello, I am interested in visiting a historical tour in Tanzania that is closely associated with the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade,
I am staying in Nairobi, Kenya. My question is does anyone recommend we get a hotel while out there? Or would anyone recommend I look for something closer in Tanzania? This is on the island of Zanzibar, and my mom doesn't do too well with water... so I was thinking of Tanzania...
What are your thoughts?
Thank you so much
Written 28 December 2015
You can fly from Dar Al Salam, Tanzania to Zanzibar or fly directly to Zanzibar as they have their own international airport. If you can also stay a couple of days in Zanzibar the beaches are beautiful and visit the other places as well.
Written 6 June 2019
Hello, I am interested in visiting a historical tour in Tanzania that is closely associated with the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade, you gave an awesome review of the Old Slave Market/Anglican Cathedral Stonetown,. I am staying in Nairobi, Kenya. My question to you is do you recommend we get a hotel while out there? Or would you recommend I look for something closer in Tanzania? This is on the island of Zanzibar, and my mom doesn't do too well with water... so I was thinking of Tanzania...
What are your thoughts?
Thank you so much !
Written 28 December 2015
AnglicanZanzibar
Stone Town, Tanzania
Hello, Sorry this is a late reply, yes we do recommend you get a hotel in zanzibar, it will be hard to do a tour and travel back to mainland tanzania on the same day.
Written 12 January 2016
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