Fort Jesus was built by the Portuguese in the 16th century (1593-1596). It was designed by Giovanni Battista Cairati. Fort Jesus is located at the southern edge of the town of Mombasa, over a spur of coral rock. It was under the control of the Portuguese for one century, and it is a testament of the first successful attempt by Western civilization to rule the Indian ocean trade routes, which, until then had remained under Eastern influence. Fort Jesus was built to protect the port of Mombasa. It is one of the most outstanding and well preserved examples of 16th century Portuguese military fortification, and a landmark in the history of this type of construction. The design of the fort, with its proportions, its imposing walls and five bastions, reflects the military architectural theory of the Renaissance. Fort Jesus, Mombasa, bears physical witness, in its structures and subsequent transformations, to the interchange of cultural values and influences among the African, Arab, Turkish, Persian and Europeans that fought to gain and maintain their control over this strategic port. The property covers an area of 2.36 hectares and includes the fort’s moat and immediate surroundings.