World Heritage Identification Number: 1139
World Heritage since: 2004
Category: Cultural Heritage
WHE Type: Archaeological Sites
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: Yes
Country: 🇲🇱 Mali
Continent: Africa
UNESCO World Region: Africa
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The Tomb of Askia: A Testimony to the Power and Riches of the Songhai Empire
The Tomb of Askia, located in the city of Gao, Mali, stands as a significant historical landmark and a testament to the grandeur and influence of the Songhai Empire. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004, this architectural marvel offers insights into the rich cultural heritage and the monumental mud-building traditions of West Africa's Sahel region.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
The dramatic 17-m pyramidal structure of the Tomb of Askia was built by Askia Mohamed, the Emperor of Songhai, in 1495 in his capital Gao. It bears testimony to the power and riches of the empire that flourished in the 15th and 16th centuries through its control of the trans-Saharan trade, notably in salt and gold. It is also a fine example of the monumental mud-building traditions of the West African Sahel. The complex, including the pyramidal tomb, two flat-roofed mosque buildings, the mosque cemetery and the open-air assembly ground, was built when Gao became the capital of the Songhai Empire and after Askia Mohamed had returned from Mecca and made Islam the official religion of the empire.
UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site
Criterion (ii) : The Tomb of Askia reflects the way the local building traditions, in response to Islamic needs, absorbed influences from North Africa to create a unique architectural style across the West African Sahel.
Criterion (iii): The Tomb of Askia is an important vestige of the Songhai Empire, which once dominated the Sahel lands of West Africa and controlled the lucrative trans-Saharan trade.
Criterion (iv): The Tomb of Askia reflects the distinctive architectural tradition of the West African Sahel and in particular the way buildings evolve over centuries through regular, traditional maintenance practices.
Encyclopedia Record: Tomb of Askia
The Tomb of Askia, in Gao, Mali, is believed to be the burial place of Askia Muhammad I, one of the Songhai Empire's most prolific emperors. It was built at the end of the fifteenth century and is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.Additional Site Details
Area: 4.24 hectares
Number of Components: 1
(iii) — Unique or exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition
(iv) — Outstanding example of a type of building or landscape
Coordinates: 16.2898 , -0.04456
Image
© Taguelmoust, CC BY-SA 3.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)
