Maruhubi Palace

Zanzibar Town

LoginSave

Maruhubi Palace was built outside Zanzibar Town in 1882 for Sultan Barghash to house his impressively large harem. A few years later it was destroyed by fire, although the remaining walls and arches, and the large columns that once supported an upper balcony, hint at its previous scale. The entrance is 4km north of Zanzibar Town, on the left (west) of the main road towards Bububu.

The guide (included in the entrance fee) has old photos of the palace shortly after it was built; it's fascinating to compare these with the view today.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • Tanzania, Zanzibar, Stone Town. The Anglican Cathedral Church of Christ had its foundation stone laid on Christmas Day 1873

    Anglican Cathedral

    1.48 MILES

    The tall spire and grey-yellow walls of the Anglican cathedral dominate the surrounding streets in this part of Stone Town, while the dark-wood pews and…

  • The Sultan's Palace (Palace Museum) is one of the main historical buildings of Stone Town, Zanzibar as seen at sunset.

    Palace Museum

    1.44 MILES

    Occupying several large buildings along the waterfront, this was the palace of Sultan Seyyid Said from 1828 until it was largely destroyed by the British…

  • Two red Colobuse Monkey in a rainforest of Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park, Zanzibar, Tanzania, Africa

    Jozani-Chwaka National Park

    16.73 MILES

    Jozani Forest is the largest area of indigenous forest on Zanzibar Island. Situated south of Chwaka Bay on low-lying land, the area is prone to flooding,…

  • Bagamoyo - Historical town

    Bagamoyo Town

    28.79 MILES

    With its cobwebbed portals and crumbling German-era colonial buildings, central Bagamoyo, or Mji Mkongwe (Stone Town) as it’s known locally, is well worth…

  • Paintings for sale outside Old Fort, Stone Town.

    Old Fort

    1.61 MILES

    With its pale-orange ramparts overlooking Forodhani Gardens and the ocean beyond, the fort was built by Omani Arabs when they seized the island from the…

  • House of Wonders, Stone Town, Zanzibar, Tanzania.

    House of Wonders

    1.55 MILES

    An icon of Stone Town, the House of Wonders rises in impressive tiers of slender steel pillars and balconies overlooking the waterfront. Its enormous…

  • ZALA Park

    ZALA Park

    18.83 MILES

    ZALA (Zanzibar Land Animals) Park was founded as a project to help local people appreciate the value of wildlife, with funds raised by tourist visits. The…

  • Darajani Market, Stone Town, Zanzibar, Tanzania

    Darajani Market

    1.38 MILES

    Zanzibar's main market is a hive of activity, with everything – from spices, fresh fish, slabs of meat and huge baskets full of live chickens to sandals,…

View more attractions

Nearby Zanzibar Town attractions

1. Cine Afrique

1.14 MILES

It's no longer a working cinema, but the grand old Cine Afrique is an art deco gem and a significant landmark.

2. Old Dispensary

1.28 MILES

With its peppermint-green latticework balconies and sculpted clock tower, this 19th-century charitable dispensary is one of the most attractive landmarks…

3. Big Tree

1.31 MILES

A venerable landmark on the waterfront, and popular meeting spot for passengers taking boat rides.

4. Ijumaa Mosque

1.31 MILES

This lovely Arabesque-style mosque is one of the largest in Stone Town. As an Ijumma (Friday) mosque, the faithful come to pray here, rather than at their…

5. Darajani Market

1.38 MILES

Zanzibar's main market is a hive of activity, with everything – from spices, fresh fish, slabs of meat and huge baskets full of live chickens to sandals,…

6. Aga Khan Mosque

1.42 MILES

In the Kiponda area of Stone Town, this mosque is one of the largest in Zanzibar, catering to the Ismaili community since 1905. The beautifully detailed…

7. Palace Museum

1.44 MILES

Occupying several large buildings along the waterfront, this was the palace of Sultan Seyyid Said from 1828 until it was largely destroyed by the British…

8. Princess Salme Museum

1.46 MILES

Carefully curated by the renowned historian Said al Gheithy, this delightful little museum tells the story of Princess Salme, a sultan's daughter who…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting: 
    {
  "url": "tanzania/zanzibar-archipelago/zanzibar-unguja/attractions/maruhubi-palace/a/poi-sig/1438117/355668",
  "destination": "Zanzibar-Town",
  "continent": "Africa",
  "country": "Tanzania",
  "city": "Zanzibar-Town",
  "position": "superzone"
}