Mozambique Island

Crossroads of civilizations, on the route between Portugal and the Indies

Mozambique takes its name from a tiny island off the northern coast, connected to the mainland by a bridge: Mozambique Island, or Ilha de Moçambique. The island itself takes its name from Mossa Al Bique, an Arab merchant who settled there in the 15th century, before Vasco da Gama’s arrival in 1498.

During Portuguese rule, the name Mozambique came to mean the entire colony system and the island became its capital. For centuries it was the main commercial outpost along the route to the Indies: it controlled trade in gold, ivory and slaves, and welcomed Arab, Persian, Indian, Chinese and Malagasy merchants.

The Arab influence and Portuguese occupation in particular left significant traces in the island’s population culture and also in the architecture, which features many colonial-era buildings, but also several mosques and even a Hindu temple. Over the centuries the small Mozambique Island became a crossroads of civilizations, a mix of cultural, religious, artistic, architectural and culinary influences, and for this reason it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Among the most interesting structures are the Fort of São Sebastião and the Chapel of Nossa Senhora do Baluarte, dating to 1522. It stands at the easternmost tip and was the island’s first defense structure. It’s also considered the oldest European building in all of southern Africa.