Bagamoyo was founded at the end of the 18th century and became one of the most important ports on the East African coast — the ocean terminus of the caravan routes that ran inland to Lake Tanganyika. It served as the first capital of German East Africa before the administration moved to Dar es Salaam.
Its history is not comfortable, and the town does not pretend otherwise. Bagamoyo was a major ivory port and a major slave port. The name is commonly explained as deriving from bwaga moyo — lay down your heart — a reference read by many as describing those who arrived here in chains.
The explorers Burton, Speke, Stanley and Livingstone all passed through. Livingstone’s body was carried here after his death and laid in the Old Church before being shipped to Britain. The Catholic Mission, founded in 1868, holds a museum covering the caravan trade and abolition.