Africa has cities that speak volumes about its history and culture. Some of them are listed as world heritage sites and they take visitors back to the medieval Africa. Here are our picks for top historical cities in Africa.
Olduvai Gorge
Olduvai Gorge is one of the oldest cities in Africa. Its location in the Serengeti Plain within the Ngoro Ngoro Conservational area (where the wildebeest movements starts) makes it to have a special place in the study of Africa. This place has fossils deposits that dates back to 15,000 years ago, and it is an excellent city for learning about the human evolution.
Meroe
For a city that was established in the first millennium, on the banks of River Nile, you will have the much-needed grounds for learning about the African culture and history. Meroe is now Sudan. It was invaded by the Aksumite in the 4th century destroyed with its ruins discovered in the 19th century. The excellent pryarmids, temples, and palaces are perfect examples of the medieval African architectural design and culture.
Timbuktu
Currently Malawi, Timbuktu was a famous trading post on the Trans Saharan Caravan route. Considered the birth place of Islamic Culture in Africa during the 15th and 17th century, Tuaregs founded Timbuktu way back around 1100 CE. It is renowned to have three of the oldest mosques in western Africa (Djinguerber, Sankore, and Sidi Yahia) built between the 14th and 15th century. Timbuktu became a famous spot for Islamic learning and it has one of the largest collection of historical African as well as Arabic manuscripts.
Lamu Kenya
Lamu is a coastal town in Kenya known for a perfect sunny weather and Swahili culture. Listed on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the old city attracts tons of tourists annually that come to experience the coastal way of life. Understandably, Lamu promotes the study of Swahili as well as Islamic cultures. It is still a simple town with medieval structural buildings with verandas, wooden doors, and courtyards.
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