Historic Sites in Mombasa

Leven House & Steps: Hear Ye Hear Ye!

At the northern area of the oceanfront, passing Mombasa Club, Africa Hotel, Mandhry Mosque, Old Post Office, Old Port I Government Square and Bohra Mosque, sits Leven House, a historically-rich building that now houses a good eatery to enjoy a meal at the Old Town. Leven House with its associated steps, tunnel and wharf duly marks the earliest moment of British interest in Mombasa during the 19th century. That is to also say, it is one of the foremost known port facilities constructed on the shores of Old Port during the short lived unofficial British occupation of Mombasa, dubbed Owen’s Protectorate for a short stint.

Renovated and upgraded from 2001, Leven House is presently divided between accommodation for researchers and visitors, offices for the Mombasa Old Town Conservation, a multi-purpose room for meetings, and a teahouse I restaurant on the first floor. Named after the British ship that docked in Mombasa in 1824 – to abolish slavery and protect the Mazrui family who ruled Mombasa and feared for their independence from attacks by the Omani fleet, it is a living museum, really!

Leven House was purchased in 1837 by Sayyid Saïd, Sultan of Zanzibar. It was home to several missionaries (Krapf in 1844, Rebman), explorers (Burton, Speke) and administrators (First British Consul in 1884). It then passed into the hands of Mr. G.S. Mackenzie, director of the Imperial British East Africa Company in 1891, before belonging to the colonial administration in 1895. The house also served as the German consulate between 1908 and 1928. In 2001 Leven House was listed as a national heritage site, despite its obvious state of disrepair with an aim to save it.

In 1824, the governing family of Mombasa, the Mazrui, needed support against the Omani Arabs and encouraged the British to perform this role, and because the British needed a mainland base from which to mount operations against the Arab-controlled slave trade, they obliged. It was the unilateral heroic action of a British naval officer, Captain William Fitzwilliam Owen of Her Majesty’s Ship Leven, that first brought Mombasa, whose local Mazrui rulers were then in a power struggle with the Busaidi Sultan of Zanzibar, under British protection. Without Admiralty permission, Owen sailed into Mombasa harbour in February 1824, agreed to a Mazrui request for a protectorate (thereby helping the locals fend off Zanzibari control) and extracted in return a promise from local leaders to end slave trade.

Leven’s crew established itself in Leven House, of the then German consulate, only for the British authorities to rescind Owen’s unauthorized protectorate in 1826. Even so, Mombasa, in part because of Owen’s lead, continued its anti-slavery block, remaining fairly independent of Zanzibar despite the Sultan’s nominal power. As in Owen’s case, unauthorized private actions played a key role in the spread of colonial rule in East Africa, encouraging European missionaries and traders to establish themselves, without approval, across the entire region.

Leven House & Steps was acquired in 2000 by the National Museums of Kenya, From 2001, CRAterre provided technical support for its revitalization. The house was in serious disrepair and the floors had begun to collapse. The first objective of the program was to safeguard this ruined building and define a new function for it in the old town, with the help of local experts, knacks, residents and stakeholders. Restoration work was carried out between 2005 and 2008, employing over 70 local people: carpenters, masons, electricians, plumbers, painters and labourers.

Kenya is home to numerous historic sites that showcase the country’s rich cultural heritage, ancient civilizations, colonial history, and struggle for independence. These historic sites offer valuable insights into Kenya’s past and its diverse cultural heritage, making them essential destinations for visitors interested in her history.

Index of Historic Sites Around Kenya

Baringo County - Timboroa Railway Station , Bungoma County - Chetambe Fort , Kilifi County - Prince Henry the Navigator Monument , Vasco da Gama Pillar , Malindi Pillar Tomb , Portuguese Chapel, Malindi Butwani Pier , Kwale County - Shimoni Ruins , Lamu County - Shela Mosque, Lamu Fort , German Post Office, Siyu Fort , Machakos County - Macmillan Castle Sabuk , Fort Machakos , Makueni County - Gurdwara Makindu Sahib , Patterson Ruins Tsavo, Meru County - Kaaga War Memorial , Twin Baobab Trees , Giant Meru Oak, Mombasa County - Fort Jesus, Old Port , Sanaa Gallery , Leven House , Old Law Courts , Kengeleni Bell , Old Railway Station, Mbaraki Pillar , Fort St. Joseph , Kraph Monument , Fort Makupa , Arab Rifle's Monument , Mombasa's Tusks , Ras Serani Light, Mandera County - Fort El Wak , Nandi County - Kaptumo I Kipture Forts , Samiitui Aldai Historic Stone , Nyeri County - Old Ruling Court, Taita Taveta County - Kitchwa Tembo Hill , Salaita Hill , The Sniper Tree , Maktau Railway Station, Mwashoti Hill , Mwakitau Hill , Tana River County - Tana Delta Old Fort , Tharaka Nithi County - The Mutunguruni Tree , Wajir County - Wajir Fort , Ancient Orahey Wells , Orahey Bunkers , The Old Town Wajir

Historic Ruins along the Coast of Kenya - Kwale, Mombasa, Kilifi, Tana River & Lamu

Well-famous for its rich Swahili culture, stunning beaches, and vibrant nightlife – acclaimed as one of the top destinations in Kenya – Mombasa County is home to Mombasa City, Kenya’s second-largest city and a primary port town that has been a key trade center for centuries. Mombasa County is more than just beaches—it’s a cultural melting pot with history, adventure, and guaranteed coastal vibes.

You Are Here: Leven House & Steps

Where to Next?

Explore Destinations Nearby Leven House & Steps

A Guide to Mombasa County

A Summa Digest of Mombasa

About Mombasa Way Back When

80 Destinations in Mombasa County , arranged as one would visit these - south, north then east - with the aid of in-depth narratives, images, strip maps and distance chart:

Arab Rifle's Monument , Buli Monument , Fort Jesus Curio Shop , Camel Joint, Old Town Mombasa , Fort Jesus Museum I World Heritage Site , Mombasa Butterfly House , Santo Antonio de Tanna , Swahili Cultural Center , Sanaa Gallery , Old Port Mombasa , Leven House I Steps , Forodhani Restaurant , The Mandhry Mosque , Burhani Mosque , Tulia Backpackers , Bahdala Mosque , Mazrui Cemetery , Old Law Courts , Treasury Square , Africa Hotel , Kizingo BBQ, St. Joseph's Fort , Ras Serani Lighthouse , Kizingo War Camp , Mombasa Golf Club , Mama Ngina Waterfront Park , Shelly Beach , The Likoni Floating Bridge , Mbaraki Creek, Mombasa Yatch Club , Mbaraki Pillar , The Mombasa Mbaraki Cemetery , The Little Theatre Club , Kilindini Harbour , The Mombasa Memorial Church , The Holy Ghost Catholic Cathedral , Lord Shiva Temple , The Old Mombasa Railway Station , Railways Park , Mombasa African Memorial , Mombasa’s Tusks , Fort Makupa , Kibarani Recreation Park , Akamba Handicraft Shop , Manyimbo War Cemetery , Tudor Water Sports Marina , Nyali Bridge , ACK Emmanuel , The Kengeleni Monument , Bahari Beach Resort , Tamarind Dhow Cruise , Krapf Memorial Heritage Park , Kenyatta Public Beach , Bombolulu Workshop , Haller Park , Mombasa Butterfly Pavilion , Bamburi Rifle Range , Mombasa Go-Kart , Suli Suli Fishing , Nguuni Nature Sanctuary , Mamba Village , Nyali Golf & Country Club , Wild Waters , Nyali Shopping Mall , Mombasa Marine Park I Reserve , Ngomongo Village , Shimo la Tewa Site , The Moorings , La Marina Restaurant

Know More About Mombasa County: Its Geography, Land-Use, Highlights, Population, Roads - with the aid of a distance chart, Airports, Climate & National Monuments

What’s The Lay Of The Land In C.01?

Mombasa County can be split into 3 zones: 1. Coastal plain, covering parts the Island; 2. The hilly areas rising gently from 45 ms to 132 ms asl in the west; and 3. The Indian Ocean and the shoreline.

What’s The Air Like In Mombasa?

May is generally the wettest month, then April and June. Average temperatures are always high, rarely falling below 24 o C across the year.

Know More About Mombasa County…

Bri