Kilimani | |
---|---|
Coordinates: 01°17′06″S 36°47′12″E / 1.28500°S 36.78667°E | |
Country | Kenya |
County | Nairobi City |
Sub-county | Westlands |
Elevation | 5,600 ft (1,700 m) |
Kilimani is a mixed-use commercial and residential neighbourhood in the city of Nairobi.[1]
Kilimani is located approximately 5 kilometres (3 mi) west of Nairobi's central business district, within Westlands Sub-county.[2] It is north of Woodley; east of Kileleshwa, mainly separated by the Kirichwa River; the larger Kilimani sub-location encompasses the part of Upper Hill (contains Hurlingham and Caledonia estates), and the Kilimani estates.[3]
The neighbourhood was established among other earliest neighbourhoods as a whites-only residential area by the British colonialists in earlier the 20th century. It was not until the 1960s when it was racially integrated.[4] The neighbourhood has historically been primarily low-density residential, but since 2000 has become increasingly high-density mixed residential and commercial; both retail and offices.[5] Some of the high-rise buildings have been built contrary to the county's bylaws and have been characterised as vertical slums due to them burdening the existing laid infrastructure.[6][7]
State House Nairobi, the official residence of the President of Kenya is located in Kilimani, on State House Road.[8]
(1) Kilimani Primary School, Milimani Primary School, St Hannah's School, St. Nicholas School, St Christophers School, Cavina School are all located in the neighborhood.[1] (2) The Lycée Denis Diderot, the French international school, is in Kilimani. It moved there in 1972.[9] (3) West Nairobi School, a Christian international school, opened in Kilimani in 1996 but moved to Karen in 2000.[10] (4) State House Girls' School is located on the grounds of State House Nairobi.[8] Svenska Skolan, the Swedish international school, is located in Kilimani.[11]
The headquarters of Sidian Bank are located on Wood Avenue in Kilimani.[12]
Adam's Arcade is the oldest shopping centre of its kind in neighbouring Woodley, Nairobi, Kenya, as well as East and Central Africa as a whole. Established in 1954 and completed in 1959 by Abdul Habib Adam.[13]
Yaya Centre, in Hurlingham, is a shopping mall with over 100 retail shops.[14]
The Nairobi Arboretum, featuring more than 300 exotic and indigenous tree species, is located in Kilimani, adjacent to State House.[15]