When Was Victoria Falls Discovered? David Livingstone, 1855

David Livingstone, Scottish missionary-explorer, first recorded the falls on 16 November 1855.

The Moment

Approaching by canoe from upstream, he wrote: "Scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight." He named them Victoria Falls after Queen Victoria.

Local Name & Knowledge

• Mosi-oa-Tunya = "The Smoke That Thunders" (Lozi/Tonga).
• Known to Batoka, Toka-Leya, and other peoples for millennia. Livingstone was the first European to document them.

Aftermath

Livingstone's reports sparked Victorian fascination. Cecil Rhodes' railway (1904) brought tourists. Bridge (1905) enabled access. Now a UNESCO site shared by Zambia/Zimbabwe.

Contemporary Note

Zambia promotes "Mosi-oa-Tunya" officially; Zimbabwe uses "Victoria Falls." Both names appear on UNESCO listing.