Boma

Boma was the capital of the Congo Free State and then of the Belgian Congo until the administration moved to Léopoldville in 1923, and the town keeps the buildings from that period, including several prefabricated iron structures shipped out in pieces and bolted together on site. One of them, the old governor's residence, is a museum. The town's other landmark is a baobab of great size and age at the centre, hollow enough to be entered, traditionally linked with Henry Morton Stanley, who reached Boma in 1877.

History

Boma was founded by European merchants in the 16th century as a trading post, including for the slave trade; Dutch merchants dominated, but British, French and Portuguese firms also had factories here, and no European power held sovereignty, though Portugal made claims from time to time. Henry Morton Stanley arrived here on 9 August 1877, at the end of his crossing of Africa from east to west. In 1886 Boma became the capital of the Congo Free State, and it remained the capital of the Belgian Congo until 1923, when the capital was moved to Léopoldville, now Kinshasa; today its port exports tropical timber, bananas, cocoa and palm products (Wikipedia, Boma, Democratic Republic of the Congo).

What's there

• The metal buildings - prefabricated iron structures shipped from Europe and assembled here.
• The old governor's residence - a colonial administrative building now used as a museum.
• The baobab - an enormous hollow tree at the centre of town, enterable through a gap in the trunk.
• The river frontage - the lower Congo, wide and tidal this close to the sea.

When to go

May to September is the dry season and the most comfortable. The lower Congo is humid year-round. Mornings are the best time to walk the old town.

Good to know

Many of the historic buildings are in poor condition or in use as offices and cannot be entered. There is very little tourism infrastructure and few places to stay. The baobab's association with Stanley is tradition rather than documented.

Nearby

Matadi is upstream, and Muanda and the coast are west.

Key facts