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Coral islands and ancient ruins
Built by the Portuguese and lost to the Omanis, today Fort Jesus is among the most recognizable monuments along the Swahili coast. Despite it's colonial design (and use), it still has one feature quintessentially Swahili: it's built from Coral.
courtesy Konstantinos Dafalias
Somewhat worse for wear, the ancient city of Gede was established in the twelfth century, but was hastily abandoned in subsequent years, for reasons still altogether unclear.
courtesy Filip Lachowski
Dhows are still a popular mode of transport, and whilst they way have been used previously by traders, today tourists can embark on evening cruises on the Indian Ocean.
Tony Karumba/AFP/Getty Images
Perhaps the Kenyan coast's most popular tourist attraction, Lamu, the East African island perched placidly off of Kenya's southern coast, is one of the oldest continuously inhabited Swahili towns.
Simon Maina/AFP/Getty Images
There are no cars on the island -- the streets are too narrow and winding, and stacked high with coral bricks.
In the carless economy, donkey is king, and are used to navigate the roads.
Simon Maina/AFP/Getty Images
Donkeys also help transport one of the island's main commodities: coral stone.
Coral reigns supreme throughout the island. Not only is coral stone strong, it's a few degrees cooler than cement, making it an ideal building resource in a region defined by its sweltering heat.
Lamu also has a long history of foreign trade -- as is evidenced by the Arab, Indian, Persian and European influences in the local architecture.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, Indian visitors introduced arches and balconies into Swahili architecture.
Lamu is awash in Swahili ruins. The Takwa Mosque (pictured), which flourished in the 16th and 17th centuries, is a prime example of how foreign styles influenced local architecture.
The mosque was ultimately abandoned due to a poor water supply, but its ruins are a portal to the past.