Island of Mozambique
This articleneeds additional citations forverification.(November 2007) |
UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
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![]() The island of Mozambique seen from Fort São Sebastião (the bridge to the mainland in the background) | |
Location | Nampula Province,Mozambique |
Reference | 599 |
Inscription | 1991 (15thSession) |
Coordinates | 15°02′12″S40°43′58″E/ 15.03667°S 40.73278°E |
TheIsland of Mozambique(Portuguese:Ilha de Moçambique) lies off northernMozambique,between theMozambique Channeland Mossuril Bay, and is part ofNampula Province.[1]Prior to 1898, it was the capital of colonialPortuguese East Africa.[2]With its rich history and sandy beaches, the Island of Mozambique is aUNESCO World Heritage Siteand one of Mozambique's fastest-growing tourist destinations.[1]It has a permanent population of approximately 14,000 people and is served by nearbyLumbo Airporton the Nampula mainland. The name of the country, Mozambique, is derived from the name of this island.
History
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dc/Fort_Sao_Sebastiao.gif/220px-Fort_Sao_Sebastiao.gif)
Pottery found on Mozambique Island indicates that the town was founded no later than the fourteenth century. According to tradition, the originalSwahilipopulation came fromKilwa.The town's rulers had links with the rulers of bothAngocheandQuelimaneby the fifteenth century. In 1514, Duarte Barbosa noted that the town had a Muslim population and that they spoke the same Swahili dialect as Angoche.[3]
The name of the island (Portuguese:Moçambique,pronounced[musɐ̃ˈbiki]) is derived from Ali Musa Mbiki (Mussa Bin Bique), sultan of the island in the times of Vasco da Gama. This name was subsequently taken to the mainland country which is modern-dayMozambique,and the island was renamedIlha de Moçambique(Island of Mozambique). The Portuguese established a port andnaval basein 1507 and built theChapel of Nossa Senhora de Baluartein 1522, now considered the oldest European building in theSouthern Hemisphere.
During the 16th century, theFort São Sebastiãowas built, and the Portuguese settlement (now known asStone Town) became thecapitalofPortuguese East Africa.The island also became an importantmissionarycentre. It withstood Dutch attacks in 1607 and 1608 and remained a major post for the Portuguese on their trips to India. It saw the trading ofslaves,spices,andgold.
Apart from the ancient fortifications, only half of the town is stone-built. The hospital, a majesticneo-classicalbuilding constructed in 1877 by the Portuguese, with a garden decorated with ponds and fountains, was repainted white after theMozambican Civil War.For many years, it was the biggest hospital south of the Sahara.[4]
With the opening of theSuez Canal,the island's fortunes waned. In 1898, the capital was moved to Lourenço Marques (nowMaputo) on the mainland. By the middle of the 20th century, the new harbour ofNacalatook most of the remaining business.
Attractions
[edit]Other notable buildings on the island include the Palace and Chapel of São Paulo, built in 1640 as a Jesuit College and subsequently used as the Governor's Residence, now a museum; the Museum of Sacred Art, housed in the Church of the Misericórdia run by the House of Mercy, displaying an excellentMakondecrucifix;the Church of Santo António; the Church of the Misericórdia; and theChapel of Nossa Senhora de Baluarte.The island, now entirely urbanised, is also home to severalmosquesand aHindu temple.A 3 kmbridgewas erected in the 1960s to connect it to the mainland.
The island in itself is not large, about 3 km long and between 200 and 500 metres wide. Most historical buildings are at the island's northern end. The majority of the residents live in reed houses inMakuti Townat the southern end of the island.
Gallery
[edit]-
A map engraved byPieter van den Keerein 1598
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Chart of the Harbour in 1810
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The 3.8-kilometre-long (2.4 mi)Mozambique Island Bridge
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Old Hospital
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Church of Santo António
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Beach cleaning
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Makuti Town
The island is also close to two tourist highlights:Chocas Mar,a long beach about 40 km north of Ilha de Moçambique across the Mossuril Bay and Cabaceiras.
See also
[edit]- List of Jesuit sites
- Goa Island(nearby)
References
[edit]- ^abCentre, UNESCO World Heritage."Island of Mozambique".UNESCO World Heritage Centre.Retrieved2022-03-08.
- ^"Island of Mozambique | island, Mozambique | Britannica".britannica.Retrieved2022-03-08.
- ^Newitt, Malyn. "Mozambique Island: The Rise and Decline of an East African Coastal City" 2004. Page 23
- ^Patrick Lagès,The island of Mozambique,UNESCOCourier, May, 1997.
- O.J.O. Ferreira,Ilha de Moçambique byna Hollands: Portuguese inbesitname, Nederlandse veroweringspogings en die opbloei en verval van Mosambiek-eiland.Gordonsbaai & Jeffreysbaai: Adamastor: 2010
- Malyn Newitt,Mozambique Island: The Rise and Decline of an East African Coastal City, 1500–1700.An article from Portuguese Studies.
External links
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
Ilha de Mozambiquetravel guide from Wikivoyage
- World Heritage Site
- Website managed by the Community Multimedia Center of the Ilha de Mozambique