Top man made wonders of Africa
SITE | COUNTRY | LOCATION FROM CAPITAL CITY | DETAILS |
Pyramids of Egypt | Egypt | Gaza , 22.1 km West of Cairo | The famed pyramids along the Nile are at their best in Giza, where the three greatest tombs stand. The one built 46 centuries ago for Pharaoh Khufu is one of the original ancient Seven Wonders. |
Abu Simbel Temples | Egypt | Nubia, about 1,010 km South of Cairo | Four immense statues of the great Egyptian pharaoh Rameses protect the entrance to his Abu Simbel temple overlooking the Nile River. |
Afrikaans Language Monument | South Africa | Paarl 7646, 58.6 km East of Cape Town | This monument pays tribute to a unique language that is only 300 years old, created from the melting pot of nationalities and language in the Cape. The Dutch settlers, French Huguenots, slaves from Malaysia, Indonesia, Madagascar and West Africa and the local Khoi people all needed to communicate, thus it’s significance. |
Kano City Wall | Nigeria | Kano, 989 km North East of Lagos | Built in the 11th and 12th centuries and extended in the 1500s, the wall is an example of ancient fortifications in Africa. This wall has a 17.5 km circumference with 16 gates, protecting what is still an important centre of trade. Also within this wall is a national monument of architectural excellence. |
Giza Necropolis | Egypt | Al Ahram, 22.2 km South West of Cairo | The capital of the Old Kingdom of Egypt has some extraordinary funerary monuments, including rock tombs, ornate mastabas, temples and pyramids. In ancient times, the site was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World. |
Karnak Temple Complex | Egypt | Luxor, 641 km South East of Cairo | Karnak Temple was the leading Egyptian spiritual center several thousand years ago. The complex was built along the Nile and is incredibly large. The star is the high columned Great Hypostyle Hall. |
Djmaa el Fna | Morocco | Marrakesh, 322.4 km South West of Rabat | The world’s most exciting town square. It reminds you you’re in Africa. In the heart of the old city of Marrakech, snake-charmers, henna-painters, story-tellers and orange juice vendors set up their stalls in the sleepy heat of the afternoon. As night falls, the vendors are joined by tribal drummers, ladyboy dancers and mobile restaurants selling delicious grilled meats, bread and salad as the smoke rises above their stalls till past midnight. |
SITE | COUNTRY | LOCATION FROM CAPITAL CITY | DETAILS |
Medival Churches | Ethiopia | Lalibela, 674 km North of Addis Ababa | Lalibela is famous for its amazing rock cut churches. It has eleven churches issued to excistance by King Lalibela in the early part of the 11th century. It also has religious symbols, including crosses, swastikas and stars of David, the latter echoing the claim of previous dynasties to descent from King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. |
Osu Castle | Ghana | Osu, Accra 2.1 South East Accra | This reflects the history of the Ghanaian nation. It was built by Danish colonialists in 1659 on land bought from a tribal chief in Accra. It fell and was rebuilt in 1824 by the British. |
Olduvai Gorge Museum | Tanzania | Ngorongoro, 480.7 km North of Dodoma | Over the last thirty years or so, it has become increasingly apparent that Africa is probably the “Cradle of Mankind”. From Africa they spread out to populate the rest of Earth. Remain of the earliest humans were found in Oldupai Gorge. |
Sources
- http://www.hillmanwonders.com/top_10_man_made_wonders/top_10_man_made_wonders.htm (Man-made wonders)
- http://www.budgettravel.com/feature/hidden-man-made-wonders-of-the-world,7060/ (man Made wonders)
- http://www.travelencyclopedia.info/2011/11/top-10-man-made-wonders-or-landmarks-of.html (Man Made wonders in Egypt)
- http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_man_made_wonders_of_Africa?#slide=2 (Man Made Wonders of Africa)
- http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/citadel.htm (Citadel facts)
- http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/86 (Necropolis facts)
- http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/egypt/luxor/luxor.html (Luxor Temple)
- http://www.historvius.com/lalibela-rock-churches-943/ (Rock churches facts)
- http://www.timeout.com/accra/attractions/osu-castle (Osu Castle facts)
- http://www.ngorongorocrater.org/oldupai.html (Oldupai Gorge facts)
- http://travel.cnn.com/stunning-african-spots-552779 (Djmaa el Fna facts)
- http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/eco-tourism/photos/10-ancient-walls-you-should-see-for-yourself/kano-city-wall-nigeria (Nigerian Wall of Kano)
- http://www.oyibosonline.com/sm2/index.php?topic=11702.0;wap2 (Kano Walls)