Exploring the world: Zanzibar Doors

After spending a week in Uganda and another at home, it was time to head off to Zanzibar for the last leg of school break! I must admit I had never thought I’d make it to Zanzibar (or Rwanda, for that matter) but it was a very restful and interesting trip. Zanzibar has been christened a UNESCO World Heritage Site because so many cultures have come together to influence it, making Stone Town, it’s capital, a fascinating place just to walk around. One of the more intriguing aspects to me were the Zanzibar doors. These doors are a product of Swahili culture, which is better described as a bunch of other cultures mashed together.
One of the most fascinating architectural aspects of Stone Town are the numerous carved doors present on building ranging from the fanciest hotels to the most humble alleys. These doors are a visible representation of the intercultural influences. According to THIS website:

The Arab influence is seen in the older doors; they are square, like the houses, and feature geometric designs. The “newer” doors, dating primarily to the late 19th century, reflect Indian influence and have arched tops and floral designs. Commonly seen elements are passages from the Quran, fish (representing the wish for many children), date trees (representing abundance) and lotus flowers (signifying regeneration). It is interesting – and a bit terrifying – to note the large brass spikes on a great many doors, most likely a modification of a tradition from India where doors were spiked as a defense against elephants in war.

I found myself fascinated by them, not because of the carvings themselves (although they were remarkable) but because of the varying stages of preservation. Take a look (and forgive my hasty picture taking skills, they aren't always so straight).