World Heritage Identification Number: 1139
World Heritage since: 2004
Category: Cultural Heritage
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.
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
(iii) — Unique or exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition
(iv) — Outstanding example of a type of building or landscape
Coordinates: 16.2898 , -0.04456
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© Taguelmoust, CC BY-SA 3.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)
