City
Moroni’s currency museum and harbour names
At Place de France, the Central Bank’s currency museum displays old coins and banknotes. In its March 2026 evaluation, ICOMOS uses kalaweni for the dhow harbour and iko for smaller traditional fishing ports.
At a glance
A place worth remembering
Coins and an open question about cowries
The museum is on the ground floor of the Central Bank building at Place de France, where old coins and banknotes are displayed. The bank page gives differing interpretations of the cowrie finds: one cited account leaves their use uncertain, a Comorian archaeologist says they served as money, and a financier it quotes holds that Comorians never used shells as money.[1]
What the UNESCO map shows
UNESCO’s map lists a 4.48-hectare inscribed component for Moroni and a separate 24.43-hectare buffer zone.[4]
Two names for Moroni’s harbours
ICOMOS’s March 2026 evaluation reports that both harbour types remained in use: it calls the dhow harbour kalaweni and the smaller traditional fishing ports iko. The evaluation also notes surviving fragments of the city wall on the east side.[2]
Good to know
A few clear answers before you explore.
What does the bank page say about cowries as money?
It presents three views: one cited author leaves the question open, a Comorian archaeologist says the shells were used as money, and a quoted financier says Comorians never used shells as money.[1]
What area does UNESCO’s map list for Moroni?
A 4.48-hectare property and a separate 24.43-hectare buffer zone.[4]
What do kalaweni and iko refer to?
ICOMOS uses the terms for two harbour types: kalaweni for the dhow harbour and iko for smaller traditional fishing ports. Its March 2026 evaluation reported both in use.[2]
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