Mombasa Old Town Portuguese Fort Jesus is located in the Old Town, and is Mombasa's most popular tourist attraction. Mombasa Old Town Old Town is an area of Mombasa, Kenya. Situated on the south-east side of Mombasa Island, the Old Town covers an area of , and is inhabited by a mix of local, Arab, Asian, Portuguese and British settlers. In 1997, the Old Town and Fort Jesus were submitted by the National Museums of Kenya for selection in UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites. The area is located to the east of Mombasa Island, adjacent to Tudor Creek. Buildings in the Old
Mombasa of great learning and so is connected more directly with the present ideals of Swahili culture that people identify with Mombasa. The ancient history associated with Mwana Mkisi and Shehe Mvita and the founding of an urban settlement on Mombasa Island is still linked to present-day peoples living in Mombasa. The Thenashara Taifa (or Twelve Nations) Swahili lineages recount this ancient history today and are the keepers of local Swahili traditions. Most of the early information on Mombasa comes from Portuguese chroniclers writing in the 16th century. The famous Moroccan scholar and traveller Ibn Battuta visited the area during his