Vasco da Gama Pillar
A limestone cross pillar erected when Vasco da Gama arrived in Malindi in 1498. It is one of the oldest European monuments in East Africa.
In 1498, the Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama arrived at Malindi on his way to India. He was warmly received by the local sultan, who provided him with a pilot. To commemorate the visit, he erected a limestone cross pillar, which is one of the oldest surviving European monuments in East Africa. The pillar stands on a headland at the southern end of Malindi harbour, and its top is crowned with a Portuguese cross. There are views over the bay and the harbour. Entry costs about 500 Kenyan shillings. The nearby Portuguese chapel and Malindi Museum can be visited at the same time.
Opening hours
07:00–18:00
Nearby sights
- Malindi Old Town & Portuguese Chapel
- Malindi Marine National Park
- Mambrui Sand Dunes & Beach
- Gede Ruins
- Bio-Ken Snake Farm
- Watamu Marine National Park
- Watamu Beach & Turtle Bay
- Mida Creek