The Fort is located in Mombasa City on the coast of Kenya. Designed by Giovanni Battista Cairati, it was built by the Portuguese in 1593-1596 to protect the port of Mombasa. The Fort is one of the most outstanding and well preserved examples of 16th Portuguese military fortification and a landmark in the history of this type of construction.
The Fort’s layout and form reflected the Renaissance ideal that perfect proportions and geometric harmony are to be found in the human body. The property covers an area of 2.36 hectares and includes the fort’s moat and immediate surroundings.