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Africa is best known for its diverse and unique wildlife, but it is also home to some of the world’s oldest civilizations with remarkable cultures and history.
The most famous civilization in Africa is that of ancient Egypt. Reminders of this culture can be found from the southern city of Abu Simbel to Luxor and all the way north to Alexandria and Cairo. The Pyramids of Giza are the only surviving construction of the original Seven Wonders of the World. Pyramids can also be found in Sudan, dating from the Nubian-Kushite Kingdom that broke away from Egypt.
In Ethiopia where the Queen of Sheba once ruled, there can be found many ruins from this ancient Axumite Kingdom.
In West Africa, structures from the great ancient Mali Empire can be found in Timbuktu and Djenne. Although there are Islamic influences, the architectural style of the Malian Kingdom's mosques are still quite unique and recognizably African. In Nigeria, Sungbo's Eredo in Ijebu Ode was built by the Yoruba people; it is the largest pre-colonial structure remaining on the continent. In Mali the cliff dwellings in Dogon Country are impressive ancient structures built by the Dogon people.
Ruins from the ancient Swahili culture can be found in the coastal areas of East Africa, particularly in Kenya and Tanzania. The Swahili structures combine elements of African architecture with Islamic architecture, which was quite prominent around the 14th century.
In Southern Africa, the ruins of Great Zimbabwe have fascinated visitors ever since Europeans discovered them. No one had believed that the inhabitants of black Africa were capable of creating any great monuments on their own until the ruins of this ancient culture were discovered.
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