Sights in Africa
-
A
Camp Boiro
Although over 20 years have passed since Sekou Touré's death, his legacy continues to influence Guinean life. Some knowledge of his era is important if you want to understand present-day Guinea.
A good place to start is Camp Boiro , in the centre of Conakry on Route de Donka. Called Garde Républicaine on some maps, this military base rapidly became synonymous with the worst atrocities carried out during Touré's 'reign of terror'. From 1960 until Touré's death in 1984, thousands of prisoners were tortured or killed at Camp Boiro, including many prominent figures. Every sector of society was affected, and most Guineans you meet can tell of a family member or friend who was…
reviewed
-
B
Fortress of Shali
The centre of the town is dominated by the spectacular organic shapes of the remains of the 13th-century mud-brick Fortress of Shali . Built from a material known locally as kershef (large chunks of salt from the lake just outside town, mixed with rock and plastered in local clay), the labyrinth of huddled buildings was originally four or five storeys high and housed hundreds of people.
For centuries, few outsiders were admitted inside - and even fewer came back out to tell the tale. But three days of rain in 1926 caused more damage than any invader had managed and, over the last decades, inhabitants moved to newer and more comfortable houses with running water and…
reviewed
-
Bey’s Palace
Much of the area around the headland overlooking the port is a military zone, but don’t let that stop you visiting the misnamed Chateau Neuf (New Castle), which is in fact the old, 14th-century fort of Merinid Sultan Abou Hassan. While some of the complex is closed, the Bey’s Palace is open, in spite of closed gates (you may have to shout for the guard). The massive walls were first built in the 1340s by Merinid Sultan Abou Hassan and reinforced by the Spaniards in 1509, by the Ottomans in the 1700s and the French in the 19th century. The location is perfect, above the town, port and sea, and the gateway is impressive, but there is little majesty left in the building,…
reviewed
-
Tamberma Valley
It would be a crime to visit Togo and not check out this amazing valley. Its unique collection of fortified villages were founded in the 17th century by people who fled the slaving forays of the Benin's Dahomeyan kings.
The valley was isolated until recently but is now the closest thing northern Togo has to a tourist hotspot, with the attendant overzealous guides.
A typical Tamberma compound, called a tata, consists of a series of towers connected by a thick wall with a single entrance chamber, used to trap an enemy so he can be showered with arrows. The castle-like nature of these extraordinary structures helped ward off invasions by neighbouring tribes and, in the late…
reviewed
-
Fatimid Cemetery
Behind the Nubia Museum is the vast so-called Fatimid Cemetery, a collection of low mud-brick buildings with domed roofs. Although most tombs are modern, some of the mausolea clustered towards the back of the cemetery go back to the Tulunid period (9th century).
The old tombs are in bad shape and when the original marble inscriptions fell off after a freak late 19th-century rainstorm, they were taken to Cairo without anyone recording which tomb they had come from. As a result, the dates and names of tomb owners have been lost forever. The tombs are covered with domes built on a drum with corners sticking out like horns, a feature unique to southern Egypt. Some domes near…
reviewed
-
C
House of Amasyali
One of the most impressive of all Rosetta's fine buildings is the House of Amasyali, one of two restored houses on al-Anira Feriel. The façade here is one of the most impressive in Rosetta, with beautiful small lantern lights and vast expanses of mashrabiyya screens, which circulate cool breezes around the house. Although inside it's devoid of furniture - as are all the buildings - it's still possible to get a clear idea of how the house worked.
A series of rough stone chambers, which would have been used for storage, make up the ground floor. The 1st floor is for the men. One of the rooms here is a reception room, where guests would have been entertained by groups of…
reviewed
-
Maputo
With its Mediterranean-style architecture, waterside setting and wide avenues lined by jacaranda and flame trees, Maputo is easily one of Africa's most attractive capitals. It's also the most developed place in Mozambique by far, with a wide selection of hotels and restaurants, well-stocked supermarkets, shady sidewalk cafes, and a lively cultural scene.
The heart of the city is the bustling, low-lying baixa (busy port and commercial area). Here, Portuguese-era buildings with their graceful balconies and wrought-iron balustrades jostle for space with ungainly Marxist-style apartment blocks. Galabiyya-garbed men gather in doorways for a chat, Indian traders carry on brisk…
reviewed
-
Medina
Surrounded by three mosques and four modern minarets, not to mention the Royal Palace, Place Hassan II links the medina to the ville nouvelle. The square forms the heart of the old town and has traditionally served as a meeting place. It is ringed with small cafés that are prime spots for people-watching. The main entrance to the medina is Bab er-Rouah (Gate of the Winds), which leads off from the square's southeast corner.
The medina is an industrious, bustling place; it's quite unlike the great medinas further south, as the Spaniards had a hand in some of the building in the 19th century, and most of its inhabitants, from the 16th century on, were refugees from what…
reviewed
-
D
Peninsula
A walk around the peninsula reveals a bit more of the history and mystery that makes Ceuta what it is. The peninsula is topped by Monte Hacho, said by some to be the southern Pillar of Hercules (Jebel Musa, west of Ceuta, is the other contender; Gibraltar being the northern pillar). The summit is crowned by Fortaleza de Hacho, a fort first built by the Byzantines and added to since by the Moroccans, Portuguese and Spanish. Now occupied by the army, it is out of bounds.
On the northern slopes of Monte Hacho stands the yellow-and-white Ermita de San Antonio. This convent, originally built in the 17th century and reconstructed in the 1960s, is the venue for a large festival…
reviewed
-
Bagamoyo Town
With its cobwebbed portals, crumbling German-era colonial buildings and small alleyways where the sounds of children playing echo together with the footsteps of history, Mji Mkongwe (Stone Town) as it's known locally, is well worth a leisurely stroll.
The most interesting area is along Ocean Rd. Here, among other buildings, you'll find the imposing remains of the old German boma (colonial-era administrative offices), built in 1897; a school, which dates to the late 19th century and was the first multiracial school in what is now Tanzania; and Liku House, which served as the German administrative headquarters until the capital was moved to Dar es Salaam. Directly on the…
reviewed
Advertisement
-
Djemaa Ketchoua
Of all the central Algiers mosques the Djemaa Ketchoua has had the most turbulent history. Its exact date of construction is not known, but it is estimated as being some time at the beginning of the 17th century and certainly before the Djemaa el-Djedid. Its name translates as place or plateau of goats, a reminder of the time when this space – between the port and citadel – was open ground. It was remodelled in 1794 by Hassan Pasha, when he built his palace next door. The work is commemorated by a long inscription that begins: ‘What a beautiful mosque!’ Today it seems more unusual than beautiful, with its high steps, three-tierd minarets and part-tiled walls. A plaque to…
reviewed
-
Gcwihaba Caverns
Also known as Drotsky's Cave, this cavern system and its stalagmites and stalactites, which reach heights and lengths of up to 10m (33ft), were formed by water seeping through and dissolving the dolomite rock. The dripping water deposited minerals and built up the cavern decorations from the ceiling and floor. The !Kung people first showed these caves to a European, Martinus Drotsky, in the mid 1930s. Buried treasure from the late 19th century is said to be hidden somewhere in the caves.
There are two entrances to the caves but no guides, no lighting and no indication of which route to take. With absolutely no natural light sneaking in, spelunkers must carry several…
reviewed
-
Zaytouna Mosque
Everything in the medina leads to or from the Zaytouna Mosque. Zaytouna means 'olive tree' - it's said the founder, Hassan Ibn Nooman, conqueror of Byzantine Carthage, used to hold lessons under a tree here.
Entering, it's impossible not to be awed by the calm of the open space after the busy souqs.
Dating from various eras, the building is remarkably harmonious. The first mosque here was built in AD 734, but it was rebuilt in the 9th century by the Aghlabid ruler Ibrahim ibn Ahmed (AD 856-63), and resembles the Great Mosque in Kairouan in design. The builders recycled 184 columns from Roman Carthage for the central prayer hall. The adjoining prayer room is 9th century.…
reviewed
-
E
Cathédrale St-Paul
Designed by the Italian Aldo Spiritom, is the bold and innovative Cathédrale St-Paul . The tower is a huge stylised figure of St Paul, with the nave sweeping behind him like trailing robes. Inside, the stained-glass tableaux are as warm and rich as those of the basilica in Yamoussoukro.
Make a point of seeing these three in particular: the one behind the altar depicting God blinding St Paul on the road to Damascus; the storm on Lake Galilee with Jesus pointing the way ahead as the disciples jettison the cargo; and, opposite, the tableau of the first missionaries stepping ashore to a scene of African plenty - elephants, gazelles, luxuriant palms and smiling villagers.The…
reviewed
-
F
Tangier American Legation Museum
Morocco was, surprisingly, the very first country to recognise the fledgling United States, and this was the first piece of American real estate abroad (look for the letter of thanks from George Washington to Sultan Moulay Suleyman). It is also the only US National Historic Landmark on foreign soil, and undoubtedly the only one that contains an American flag in the form of a Berber rug. But you don’t have to care about American history to visit the Legation. The elegant five-storey mansion holds an eclectic collection that, in classic Tangerine fashion, resists categorisation. An impressive display of paintings and prints is a dreamy trip through the Tangerine past…
reviewed
-
Palmeraie
Tozeur's palmeraie is the second-largest in the country with at least 200,000 palm trees (locals claim twice that number) spread over an area of more than 10 sq km. It's a classic example of tiered oasis agriculture. The system is watered by more than 200 springs that produce almost 60 million litres of water a day, distributed around the various holdings under a complex system devised by the mathematician Ibn Chabbat in the 13th century AD.
The best way to explore the palmeraie is on foot. Take the road that runs south off ave Abdulkacem Chebbi next to the Hôtel Continental and follow the signs to the Zoo du Paradis. After about 500m the road passes the old quarter of…
reviewed
-
Tombs of Mereruka & Ankhmahor
Near the Pyramid of Teti is the tomb of his highest official, Mereruka, vizier and overseer of priests. It's the largest Old Kingdom courtier's tomb, with 32 chambers covering an area of 1000 sq metres. The 17 chambers on the eastern side belong to Mereruka, and include a magnificent six-columned offering hall featuring a life-size statue of Mereruka appearing to walk right out of the wall to receive the offerings brought to him.
Other rooms are reserved for Mereruka's wife, Princess Seshseshat (Teti's daughter), and their eldest son, Meriteti (whose name means 'Beloved of Teti'). Much of the tomb's decoration is similar to that of the Mastaba of Ti, with an even greater…
reviewed
-
G
ribat
The ribat is northwest of the mosque and is the oldest monument in the medina, built in the final years of the 8th century AD.
The entrance is through a narrow arched doorway flanked by weathered columns salvaged from the ruins of Roman Hadrumètum. The small ante-chamber was the last line of the building's defences - from high above the columns, projectiles and boiling liquids were rained down on intruders. A vaulted passage opens out into a courtyard surrounded by porticos. The ribat, designed principally as a fort, was garrisoned by devout Islamic warriors who would divide their time between fighting and silent study of the Quran in the tiny, cell-like rooms built into…
reviewed
-
Parque Nacional de Garajonay
Covering 10% of La Gomera's surface, this 4000-hectare (9884-acre) park forms a knot in the island's centre and is a haven for some of the planet's most ancient forest. Over 400 species of flora, including its famous laurel, can be found here. Most trails running through the park were once used by the Gomeros. The majority of the hikes are relatively light, and you can get a solid view of the landscape without venturing too far.
Many independent visitors make for Alto de Garajonay (1487m/4879ft), the island's tallest peak. From here, clouds permitting, you can see the islands of Tenerife, La Palma, El Hierro and sometimes even Gran Canaria. Another favourite stop is La…
reviewed
-
Giza Pyramids
The sole survivor of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Pyramids of Giza still live up to more than 4000 years of hype. Their extraordinary shape, geometry and age render them somehow alien constructions; they seem to rise out of the desert and pose the ever-fascinating question, 'How were we built, and why?'.
Centuries of research have given us parts of the answer to this double-barrelled question. We know they were massive tombs constructed on the orders of the pharaohs by teams of workers tens-of-thousands strong. This is supported by the discovery of a pyramid-builders' settlement, complete with areas for large-scale food production and medical facilities. Ongoing…
reviewed
Advertisement
-
Fès el-Bali
The medina of Fès el-Bari (Old Fès) is the largest living medieval city in the world. Its incredible maze of 9400 twisting alleys, blind turns and souqs are crammed with shops, restaurants, workshops, mosques, medersas (theological colleges), dye pits and tanneries. A riot of sights, sounds and smells, 21st-century Fès is groaning at its 9th-century seams.
Despite its designation as a World Heritage site, investment has been slow to follow. While the chic cafe-lined boulevards of the ville nouvelle provide a stark contrast, many young Fassis remain jobless, and the bright lights disguise the sad lot of the poorer people living on the periphery.
For the short-term…
reviewed
-
Kabaka's Trail
The Kabaka's Trail is a community tourism project to introduce visitors to the secret history of the Buganda people.
Six sites around Kampala make up the trail, including several tombs, a prison and a waterfall.
The Naggalabi Buddo Coronation Site, a short distance off the road to Masaka, is where the Buganda kings are crowned, including the current kabaka Ronald Mutebi II. There are several huts similar to those at Kasubi Tombs, as well as a natural throne from a tree root. This is the most accessible of all the sites, as minibuses run here from the new taxi park in Kampala - ask for Naggalabi Buddo stage.
Ssezibwa Falls is a popular beauty spot with locals, just off the…
reviewed
-
Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve
For one reason or another this reserve seems to be one of Malawi's best-kept secrets, but it's possibly your best chance to get up close and personal with elephants and well worth a visit. Vwaza is an ideal destination for any budget; it's compact and accessible, the accommodation is close to the main gate, and public transport here is straightforward.
The main camp is conveniently located a safe but rewarding distance from the hippo-heavy Lake Kazuni, which also lures impalas, buffaloes (rumoured to be particularly aggressive here), waterbucks, elands, roans, sables, zebras, hartebeests and pukus. The big attraction however, is the 160-plus elephants within the park.…
reviewed
-
Fasiladas' Bath
Around 2km northwest of town centre lies Fasiladas' Bath, a shady, beautiful and historical spot attributed to both Fasiladas and Iyasu I.
The large, rectangular sunken pool is overlooked by a small but charming building, thought by some to be Fasiladas' second residence. Almost out of Cambodia's Angkor Thom, snakelike tree roots envelop, support and digest sections of the stone wall surrounding the pool.
Although the complex was used for bathing (royalty used to don inflated goatskin lifejackets for their refreshing dips!), it was likely constructed for religious celebrations, the likes of which still go on today. Once a year, Fasiladas' Bath is filled with water for…
reviewed
-
King Ezana's Stele
The Northern Stelae Field is Ethiopia's biggest and most important stelae field. It contains over 120 stelae, though the original number was higher - some have been removed, others probably lie buried. Although standing slightly off kilter, the magnificent 24m-high King Ezana's Stele at the field's entrance has done something no other stele of similar stature has - remained standing!
Henry Salt, the British traveller and first foreigner to describe it in 1805, proclaimed it 'the most admirable and perfect monument of its kind'.
It's considered by many as the most important of Aksum's stelae because it holds important religious significance. The stone platform at its base…
reviewed