The fort was a Portuguese military fortification built-in 1593-1596 by the Portuguese to the design of Giovanni Battista cairati to protect the port of Mombasa from intruders since back in the days the port was a transit place for trade and gateway to India, it changed hands 9 times between 1631 and early 1870s which was later used as a jail by the British, in 1960 the fort was opened as a museum which now is one of the greatest tourist attraction sites in Kenya, visiting the fort brings history to life getting to see how it is built in the shape of a man is the reason why it is called Jesus, it is believed the fall of Jesus happened when the siege of the fort was attacked on the Portuguese fort at Mombasa by the army of the iman of woman, salt., i bin sultan with support from the Ajuran sultanate.