World Heritage Identification Number: 364
World Heritage since: 1986
Category: Cultural Heritage
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
Continent: Africa
UNESCO World Region: Africa
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The Great Zimbabwe National Monument: A Testimony to Ancient African Civilization
The Great Zimbabwe National Monument, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986, stands as a remarkable testament to the rich cultural heritage and architectural prowess of the ancient Bantu civilization, particularly the Shona people. Located in the southeastern hills of present-day Zimbabwe, near the city of Masvingo, this expansive stone city offers a fascinating glimpse into the history and legacy of one of Africa's most significant pre-colonial societies.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
The ruins of Great Zimbabwe – the capital of the Queen of Sheba, according to an age-old legend – are a unique testimony to the Bantu civilization of the Shona between the 11th and 15th centuries. The city, which covers an area of nearly 80 ha, was an important trading centre and was renowned from the Middle Ages onwards.
Encyclopedia Record: Great Zimbabwe
Great Zimbabwe was a city in the south-eastern hills of the modern country of Zimbabwe, near Masvingo. It was settled from around 1000 CE, and served as the capital of the Kingdom of Great Zimbabwe from the 13th century. It is the largest stone structure in precolonial Southern Africa. Major construction on the city began in the 11th century until the 15th century, and it was abandoned in the 16th or 17th century. The edifices were erected by ancestors of the Shona people, currently located in Zimbabwe and nearby countries. The stone city spans an area of 7.22 square kilometres (2.79 sq mi) and could have housed up to 18,000 people at its peak, giving it a population density of approximately 2,500 inhabitants per square kilometre (6,500/sq mi). The Zimbabwe state centred on it likely covered 50,000 km². It is recognised as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.Additional Site Details
Area: 722 hectares
(iii) — Unique or exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition
(vi) — Directly associated with events or living traditions
Coordinates: -20.271169952 , 30.9332689726
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