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The abandoned Swahili city with a rich Portuguese influence

Takwa Ruins

A Mosque within the over 300-year-old Takwa Ruins in Lamu.

Photo credit: Kalume Kazungu | Nation Media Group

Among the medieval Swahili settlements scattered in the coastal region, the Takwa Ruins are among the largest archaeological sites.

At its heyday in the 16th century, it was a thriving trading centre and evidence even suggests a diplomatic melting pot. Then it was abandoned.