HvW1890j

Beit Al Sahel;Beit Al Hukm; Clock Tower; House of Wonders Photo taken before 1890.
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These buildings were largely or partly destroyed by a bombardment of the British fleet in 1896. They were rebuilt, except for the clock tower. The buildings now contain the House of Wonders museum and the palace Museum in Zanzibar

Photo of Zanzibar stone-town waterfront taken between 1883 and 1890. German handwritten text below.

On the left we see the Sultan's Beit al Sahel palace incl. Harem (Beach Palace) . Note the cannons in front of the palace.

In the middle we see  the Beit al Hukm building (House of Government)

On the right we see in front the stand alone clock tower. Behind the clock tower we see the original House of Wonders, that was built in 1883 by Sultan Barghash.

You can see that these buildings were connected with covered passages above the streets.

 Antique photo zanzibar palaces

In 1896  these buildings were destroyed and or seriously damaged by the the British fleet. The House of Wonders was repaired and the clock tower incorporated in the building. The rebuilt building currently contains the House of Wonders museum.

The rebuilt Beit Als Sahel is currently the Palace Museum.

References:
  1. An Arabian Princess between two worlds by E. van Donzel published by Brill  Leiden 1993