"House of Wonders" Zanzibar Town Things to Do Tip by SirRichard

This several stories building is one of the landmarks oz the Stone Town. You can recognize it as it is surrounded by pillars and balconies, and topped by a large clock tower. Built in 1883 as a ceremonial palace for Sultan Barghash, and was the first in Zanzibar to have electric light and and the first in East Africa to have an elevator. That's why when it was built, the local people called it Beit el Ajaib, meaning the House of Wonders. Today is a bit abandoned, but there are plans to open it as the National Museum.