The Vasco da Gama’s Pillar is the most famous monument in Malindi. It is one of the oldest remaining monuments in Africa. It is situated on the seafront road near the jetty about 120 kms from Mombasa City marking the last stop in Africa before Vasco da Gama sailed across the Indian Ocean to India in 1498. Vasco da Gama was a great Portuguese explorer. The Pillar was built in 1498 by Vasco da Gama as a symbol of appreciation for the welcome that the Sultan of Malindi gave him.
The coral pillar is topped by a cross made of Lisbon stone, which almost certainly dates from da Gama’s time, and stands on the rocks at the northern end of Casuarina Beach. The Vasco da Gama Pillar is believed to be one the oldest European monuments in the Africa.