AbiriKenya

Historic Sites in Lamu

Siyu Fort: A Fort of its Own Kind

Unlike other coastal forts built by foreigners, Siyu Fort was built in the mid-19th century by local Swahili leaders, specifically Bwana Mataka, to protect the town from Omani Arab. Like many of the towns in the Lamu archipelago Situ has an odd little history of its own. A curious governing mix existed in the town of Siyu until the middle of the last century. The inhabitants invoked the aid of the Somalis in the 17th century to assist them against the aggression of Nabahan princes of Pate. The Somalis agreed, and the Nabahans were repulsed. A government was then established, consisting of a Famao (a descendant of the Asiatic colonists) and a Somali sheikh, which lasted till 1842, when an energetic Famao named Mataka.

He [Mataka] concentrated all authority in his own hands. The Somalis applied to Seyyid Said; though he attempted to reduce Siyu, his efforts were not successful, and it was only after his death that the town submitted to the Sultans of Zanzibar in 1866. Siyu sits 5 km east of Pate, 9 km east of Faza and just north of Shanga. At the small settlement are the remains of the Siyu Fort, a mid-19th Century fort. Oral traditions suggest that it was built by Siyu’s great leader Mohammed Ishaq bin Mbarak (or Bwana Mataka) who also rebuilt much of the town including a grand stone mansion for himself of which the remains are still to be seen. Within the Siyu Fort is a Friday mosque with an elegant minbar or lectern dated to about 1521.

As this may suggest, Siyu’s prosperity continued much longer than Pate, and unlike many other ecclesiastical relic forts at Lamu, Siyu Fort is unique because it was built to protect the town from the advancing Omani Arabs domination. Siyu is the only town which built a fort of its own, unlike Mombasa and Lamu where the forts were put up by foreigners. One of its key features, on one of the towers, is a carronade still in its original position that remains on its wooden carriage. Siyu Fort was gazetted as a National Monument in 1958. It’s reached either by boat up Takwa creek and then by foot to Siyu or by rounding Manda by boat to Shanga.

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Kenya is home to numerous historic sites that showcase the country’s rich cultural heritage, ancient civilizations, colonial history, and struggle for independence. These historic sites offer valuable insights into Kenya’s past and its diverse cultural heritage, making them essential destinations for visitors interested in her history.

Index of Historic Sites Around Kenya



Baringo County - Timboroa Railway Station, Bungoma County - Chetambe Fort, Kilifi County - Prince Henry the Navigator Monument, Vasco da Gama Pillar, Malindi Pillar Tomb, Portuguese Chapel, Malindi Butwani Pier, Kwale County - Shimoni Ruins, Lamu County - Shela Mosque, Lamu Fort, German Post Office, Siyu Fort, Machakos County - Macmillan Castle Sabuk, Fort Machakos, Makueni County - Gurdwara Makindu Sahib, Patterson Ruins Tsavo, Meru County - Kaaga War Memorial, Twin Baobab Trees, Giant Meru Oak, Mombasa County - Fort Jesus, Old Port, Sanaa Gallery, Leven House, Old Law Courts, Kengeleni Bell, Old Railway Station, Mbaraki Pillar, Fort St. Joseph, Kraph Monument, Fort Makupa, Arab Rifle's Monument, Mombasa's Tusks, Ras Serani Light, Mandera County - Fort El Wak, Nandi County - Kaptumo I Kipture Forts, Samiitui Aldai Historic Stone, Nyeri County - Old Ruling Court, Taita Taveta County - Kitchwa Tembo Hill, Salaita Hill, The Sniper Tree, Maktau Railway Station, Mwashoti Hill, Mwakitau Hill, Tana River County - Tana Delta Old Fort, Tharaka Nithi County - The Mutunguruni Tree, Wajir County - Wajir Fort, Ancient Orahey Wells, Orahey Bunkers, The Old Town Wajir

Historic Ruins along the Coast of Kenya - Kwale, Mombasa, Kilifi, Tana River & Lamu

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outlook

Lamu County is one of Kenya’s most unique and enchanting regions, known for its rich Swahili culture, pristine beaches, and UNESCO-listed heritage. Located on the northern coast of Kenya, it consists of a group of islands (Lamu, Manda, Pate, and Kiwayu) and a stretch of mainland coastline. Lamu Island in particular is more than just a destination—it’s a living piece of Swahili history and coastal paradise.

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Explore Destinations Nearby Siyu Fort

A Guide to Lamu County



A Summa Digest of Lamu

About Lamu Way Back When

70 Destinations in Lamu County, arranged as one would visit these - west, south, north then west - with aid of narratives, images, strip maps and distance chart:

Delta Dunes Lodge, Lake Moa, Old Town Witu, Witu Forest Reserve, Pangani Swamp, Lake Kiboko, Amu Ranch, Lake Amu, Kipini Conservancy, Lake Kenyatta, Amu Baharini Beach, Kizuke Beach, Lamu (Manda) Port, Red Pepper House, Lamu Island, Matondoni Dau Workshop, Matondoni Ruins, Tusitiri Dhow, Kipungani Ruins, Kizingoni Beach, Old Town Lamu, Lamu World Heritage Sector, Lamu Museum, The Swahili House Museum, German Post Office Museum, Lamu Fort, Lamu Market, Masjid Khoja Ithnasheri, Masjid Riyadha, House of Habib Swaleh, The Mosque College Lamu, Lamu Catholic Church, Tamarind Tree Cafe, Donkey Sanctuary, The Floating Bar, Boat Rides, MaraRaha, Kijani Hotel, Shela Village, Friday Masjid, Forodhani House, Peponi Hotel, Shela Beach, Bahari Restaurant, Fort at Shela, Ras Kitau, Diamond Village, The Maljis, Takwa Ruins, Manda Island, Manda Lodge, Manda Toto, Manda Coral Quarry, Nabahani Ruins, Pate Island, Shanga Ruins, Siyu Fort, Shindamweh, Atu Ruins, Chundwa Ruins, Faza Village, Lamu Monuments, Mangrove Forests, Dodori National Reserve, Kiunga Marine N. Reserve, Kiwayu Island, Ashuwei, Boni Forest National Reserve, Ishakani Ruins, Lamu Festivals

Know More About Lamu County: Its Geography, Land-Use, Highlights, Population, Roads - including distance chart, Airports, Climate & National Monuments

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