The Old Fort (Ngome Kongwe) in Forodhani, Stone Town, Zanzibar, is the oldest standing building in the city and a prominent symbol of the island’s layered history. It was constructed around 1699 by the Omani Arabs shortly after they defeated the Portuguese and reclaimed Zanzibar. Built on the ruins of a former Portuguese church, the fort was designed as a stronghold to defend against possible retaliation and other foreign threats. Its architecture reflects traditional Omani military design, with thick, high walls made from coral stone, square towers at the corners, and a large open courtyard at the center. Over the centuries, the fort served various purposes: it housed soldiers, functioned as a prison, and was reportedly used as a holding area for enslaved people during the height of the East African slave trade. During British colonial rule in the early 20th century, it was used as a railway terminal and later for administrative storage. After a long period of decline, the fort was restored in the 1990s and repurposed as a cultural and tourist center. Today, it is home to craft shops, an open-air amphitheater, and a café, and serves as the main venue for the annual Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF). Located next to the Forodhani Gardens and facing the Indian Ocean, the Old Fort remains a key historical landmark and a testament to Zanzibar’s Swahili, Arab, and colonial heritage.