MUSCAT : UNESCO World Heritage Centre has mourned the collapse of a part of the iconic House of Wonders (Beit Al Ajaib) in Stone Town in Zanzibar on Friday.
The House of Wonders is one of the outstanding monument, a property inscribed on the World Heritage List since 2000.
A section of the House of Wonders that collapsed was undergoing renovations and the restoration was funded by Oman’s Ministry of Heritage and Tourism.
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“We are in contact with the Stone Town Conservation and Development Authority (STCDA) which is currently carrying rescue operation and will soon be starting a preliminary assessment of the damage caused by the collapse,” said Mechtild Rössler, Director of UNSECO World Heritage Centre.
“We have confidence that the authorities will carry out the necessary emergency actions and assessments to understand the causes of this damage and propose solutions for the safeguarding of this monument which is an essential component contributing to the Outstanding Universal Value of the site. UNESCO stands ready to support the ongoing efforts and we are with the United Republic of Tanzania in facing this disaster,” she added.
The House of Wonder, a large ceremonial palace built by Sultan Barghash, is one of the town’s landmarks among other major buildings that date from the 18th and 19th centuries.
