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Africa

Royal sights in Africa

  1. A

    Badi Palace

    When 16th-century Sultan Ahmed el-Mansour was paving his palace with gold, turquoise and crystal, his jester wisecracked, 'It'll make a beautiful ruin'. That fool was a prophet: 75 years later the place was looted. Hard to picture the former glories of the now-barren courtyard, and the next-door garden is a royal mess with the king's security equipment - but the stork's-eye view atop the ramparts and periodic concerts here are musts.

    reviewed

  2. B

    Badi Palace

    When 16th-century Sultan Ahmed el-Mansour was paving his palace with gold, turquoise and crystal, his jester wisecracked, 'It'll make a beautiful ruin'. That fool was a prophet: 75 years later the place was looted. Hard to picture the former glories of the now-barren courtyard, and the next-door garden is a royal mess with the king's security equipment - but the stork's-eye view atop the ramparts and periodic concerts here are musts.

    reviewed