It is a strange mixture of colonial buildings, shanty buildings and modern offices and is the main administrative centre for the country.
Bathurst (as Banjul was originally called) was founded in the early 19th century by the British Army and Royal Navy as a military base to prevent the continuation of the slave trade along the River Gambia. The name was changed to Banjul shortly after The Gambia received it's independence from Britain in 1965.
Banjul is relatively easy to navigate as the roads are laid out in a grid. The main heart of the city is 22 July Square and Albert Market where you can buy anything from spices to shoes.
