Old photos of Zanzibar City
133 photographs of Zanzibar City, from 1880 to 2025 — each pinned to the exact place it was taken.
Have an old photo of Zanzibar City?
A family album, a postcard, a print from the attic. Pin it to the map and it becomes part of the record.
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What the photos show
The 133 photographs of Zanzibar City on PlaceWas span 9 decades, from 1880 to 2025. 52 of them were taken before 1980; the other 81 are recent views of the same streets and landmarks.21 spots were photographed more than once, so you can compare the same street, square or building across the years.132 of the photos carry a written caption explaining what is in the frame. Every picture is pinned to the place it was taken, so the map below shows where the photographers stood.
Places in Zanzibar City through time
Spots photographed more than once — compare the same place across the years.
Stories from Zanzibar City
What contributors wrote about these photographs.
1880s · 2 photos
1890s · 2 photos
1900s · 13 photos
1910s · 6 photos
1930s · 4 photos
1960s · 25 photos
2000s · 9 photos
2010s · 23 photos
· showing 12, all 23 on the map ↗
2020s · 49 photos
· showing 12, all 49 on the map ↗