Old German Boma

The Old Boma of Dar es Salaam is one of the city’s oldest buildings.  It was built between 1866 and 1867 by Majid bin Said, Sultan of Zanzibar (1834-1870), close to his palace (which has now been demolished). He also commissioned other buildings in the same area, such as the White Fathers’ House. Under German colonial rule, it was restored and enlarged.  Distinctive features of the building include the Zanzibari-style carved wooden door and coral stone walls.  The Boma now houses the Dar es Salaam Centre for Architectural Heritage (DARCH) which is a tourist information centre and has a permanent exhibition on the architectural evolution of the city.