Aerial view of old Mombasa Harbor at the foot of the Old Town, Mombasa, Kenya

Object Details

Topic: Mod. architecture/cityscape -- Photographs; Cultural landscapes; Aerial photography

See more items in: Eliot Elisofon Field collection; Eliot Elisofon Field collection / Kenya

Archival Repository: Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art

Collection Citation: Eliot Elisofon Field Collection, EEPA 1973-001, Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution

Collection Rights: Permission to reproduce images from the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives must be obtained in advance. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.

Scope and Contents: "Mombasa resembles its counterparts in East Africa in several ways. Most of the urban area was planned and laid out during the past century, though the rate of growth of the city increased markedly after the Second World War, when various colonial development projects were completed and development in the hinterland was stimulated. On the other hand, a set of unusual conditions and circumstances has combined to produce a city which is in many ways unique. The shift of focus of commercial activity from the eastern part of the island westward permitted the survival of a thousand-year heritage in the Old Town, with its unmistakable spatial and architectural characteristics. Despite the relative unaccessibility of the Old Town and its poor facilities for business, hundreds of shops continue to compete successfully in this location." [De Blij H., 1968: Mombasa; An African City. Northwestern University Press]. This photograph was taken when Eliot Elisofon was on assignment for Life magazine and traveled to Africa from August 18, 1959 to December 20, 1959.

Collection Restrictions: Use of original records requires an appointment. Contact Archives staff for more details.