Historical places to visit in Africa | New times

When talking about Africa, it’s hard not to think about its rich history. Besides its diverse fauna and natural wonders, the continent has preserved places that are home to a history that dates back centuries.

Places such as the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, the largest and most famous pyramid structures in the world, the Gate of No Return in Ghana, where millions of Africans were enslaved, and Robben Island in Africa of the South, well known as the place where Nelson Mandela, an anti-apartheid South African revolutionary and the first democratically elected president of South Africa, was jailed for 27 years in prison.

These, among others, preserve Africa’s rich history. Here are a few;

Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania

It is considered to be one of the most important paleoanthropological sites in the world. Paleoanthropologists have reportedly found hundreds of fossilized bones and stone tools in the region dating back millions of years, and for this reason, it is said to hold the earliest evidence for the existence of human ancestors.

Kigali Genocide Memorial

The memorial site functions as a place that explains how and what happened during the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. It has beautiful gardens where visitors have a quiet time to reflect on what really happened. The building also has its walls covered with hundreds of thousands of names of people whose remains were interred at the site. The Kigali Genocide Memorial serves as a final resting place for more than 250,000 victims of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsis.

Lalibela, Ethiopia

There is an unusual history and structural designs in Lalibela. This place is best known for the monolithic rock-hewn churches that were carved out of solid rock, with a huge underground labyrinth of tunnels and passageways. The churches were said to have been established by the Zagwe. The tales tell that their king, Lalibela, visited Jerusalem and that when he returned and Jerusalem fell under Islamic conquest, Lalibela ordered the construction of this place to serve as a new home for Christianity. .

Goree Island, Senegal

The island was known as the largest slave trade center on the African coast. Converted into a museum, the place was one of the earliest European settlements in West Africa and served as a base for the slave trade and others. On this island, human beings chained in their holds were sent to Western countries to work as slaves in the plantations.

Thimlich Ohinga, Kenya

The name refers to a “creepy dense forest” in the Dholuo language, a Nilotic group that occupies the area. The archaeological site is a complex of stone ruins in Migori County, Nyanza, and is believed to be the largest of 138 sites containing 521 stone structures that were built around the Lake Victoria region of Kenya. According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) website, Thimlich Ohinga is the largest and best-preserved of these traditional enclosures. It is an exceptional example of the tradition of massive dry stone enclosures, typical of the first pastoral communities of the Lake Victoria basin, which continues from the 16th to the middle of the 20th century.

Idanre Hills, Nigeria

It is a major tourist destination in Ondo State, Nigeria. Estimated to be over 800 years old, the hills remain one of nature’s wonders and a wonderful tourist destination. The hills also contain significant topographical features and an attractive cultural landscape in the setting.

Tomb of Askia, Mali

It is said to be the burial place of Askia Mohammad I, one of the most prolific emperors of the Songhai Empire. Built with mud bricks, the place is now used as a mosque and cultural center for the people of the Gao region. It represents the power and riches of the empire that flourished in the 15th and 16th centuries through its control of trans-Saharan trade.

Jebel Barkal, Sudan

It is a historic mountain located about 400 km north of Khartoum. Some of the most important archaeological monuments in Sudan are located at the foot of this mountain. The sanctuary includes a remarkable number of buildings; temples and palaces among others.

dmbabazi@newtimesrwanda.com

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