Nairobi Historical & Architectural Tour

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Nairobi Historical & Architectural City Tour

 

Before The Country Even Had A Name!

 

Sir Charles Elliot was once quoted as saying "It is not uncommon for country to create a railway, but it is uncommon for a railway to create a country"

The birth of the city of Nairobi owes its origin to the construction of the epic Kenya Uganda Railway also know as the LUNATIC LINE between the years 1896-1901. It is therefore natural that we begin our intriguing Nairobi City Tour at the Historical Nairobi Railway Museum. Our Guided Tour will take us through the following main areas were we will enjoy the rare memorabilia that narrates the rich history of this country even before it had a name.

 

1. The Main Gallery

2. Open Air Locomotives Display

 

After an exciting and informative tour of the Nairobi Railway Museum we shall make a brief stop outside Nairobi Railway Station as well as the Kenya Railway Headquarters along Moi Avenue which was originally called Station Road. May 1899 commemorates the date that the epic railway reached the area we now know as Nairobi! It was also in 1901 when the railway headquarters was relocated from Mombasa to Nairobi.

 

Close by we will come across Church House and it will be fascinating to know that St Stephen's Church the first church in Nairobi was located at this very spot. Other buildings of architectural significance that we will come across in this area include Times Tower (140m), the current (2018) second tallest building in Kenya (Current Champion is UAP Old Mutual Tower in the Upper Hill Neighbourhood (163m), the "Bell Bottom Building", Parliament Buildings and the Jomo Kenyatta Mausoleum. We shall also pay homeage to the August 7th Memorial Park which was the site of the former American Embassy where innocent lives were lost  during the tragic event on 7th August 1998.

 

Our next major stop will be at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (Currently the 3rd Tallest Building)which is considered to be the most imposing landmark in Nairobi and at one time the tallest building in Kenya for a long time. Enjoy the marvelous architecture that consists of a 26 storey office tour and amphitheatre depicting a traditional African Hut. We shall proceed with our Nairobi City Tour by passing by the Kenya High Courts and the iconic Nairobi Hilton Hotel. The Kenya National Archives will be our next exciting stop. We will take a guided tour of the ground and first floor. The ground floor houses the Murumbi Gallery dedicated to Kenya's second Vice President. This collection is considered to be "Africa's best known collection of priceless heritage and artifacts". The first floor exhibits a rich archive of publications depicting Kenya's History. Right outside the Kenya National Archives is the Tom Mboya Monument erected in 2011 in honor of the then popular political activist who was assassinated in 1969.

 

Thereafter, we shall pass by the Dedan Kimathi Monument on our way to Kenyatta Avenue. Field Marshal Dedan Kimathi is one of Kenya's notable freedom fighters that played a significant role in Kenya's fight towards independence. Kenyatta Avenue which at one time was also known as Sixth Avenue and also as Delamere Avenue, is lined up with a strong line up of buildings of great historical and architectural significance such as the Sarova Stanley Hotel which is considered to be Kenya's first luxury hotel, Cameo Cinema, Stanbic House, Bank of India, Kipande House, World War Memorial Monuments and the Galton Fenzi Memorial. Did you know that all distances from Nairobi are measured from Galton Fenzi Memorial Location?

 

From Kenyatta Avenue we shall divert to Koinange Street as well as Biashara Street before looping around Moktar Daddah Street next to Jevanjee Gardens. Did you know that Mr Jevanjee got the contract to bring in labourers from India to help in the construction of the Kenya Uganda Railway? Our last stop of our exciting Nairobi City Tour will be at the Nairobi Gallery which is now housed at the Old P.C.'s office also known as " Hatches, Matches & Dispatches". The Gallery now holds temporary exhibitions.

 

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We Donate a Portion of the Proceeds to Local Community Projects
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