Africa is home to some of the oldest and most robust ancient societies that the world has to offer. Some of the greatest empires of all time come from Africa, including ancient Egypt, which some argue to be the greatest empire in human history, rivalling the Greeks.
A lot of these ancient empires and societies arose pre-European settlement and as such their architecture and building styles differ greatly from what is seen in Africa today.
There are numerous beautiful and unique monuments that now constitute some of the biggest man-made wonders of the world. These monuments were built for emperors and citizenry alike and they symbolise the style and life that was led by these ancient African people centuries ago.
From Zimbabwe to Sudan let’s look at some of the greatest architectural wonders that Africa has to offer:
Pyramids of Giza
The pyramids of Giza are an obvious and well-renowned wonder of the manmade world. Their perfect geometry and incredible size have aroused curiosity in people from all over the planet drawing around 14 million visitors a year.
The pyramids are not without their own historical controversy as the methods that the Egyptian emperors employed to have these pyramids built have been questioned.
The pyramids serve as massive tombs, each for one of the many pharaohs who rules ancient Egypt so many years ago.
Carthage
Carthage was the capital city of the ancient Carthaginian civilization. Now a seaside suburb of Tunisia, the city of Carthage is now a certified UNESCO world heritage site.
The city was the home to many historical battles and wars and the current version of the city was built on the ruins of the Roman Carthage. It’s as fascinating as the wagering on offer at https://australiansportsbetting.net/.
Seen today as one of the most beautiful and unique ancient cities ever built the location boasts the Baths of Antoninus, Byrsa Hill and Les Portes Puniques de Carthage.
Great Zimbabwe
Great Zimbabwe has been argued to have been the most impressive medieval city built in sub-Saharan Africa, which was the home to many astounding ancient architectural sites.
This city boasts a fusion of natural and manmade beauty with complex city planning and uniquely African structures built along the South-Eastern Hills of Zimbabwe next to Lake Mutirikwe.
It is estimated that the central ruins of the city were home to a population of around 20 000 with an economy based mainly on cattle trading, crop cultivation, and gold. The gold trade is what made great Zimbabwe one of the richest ancient African cities.
Luxor
Luxor, an ancient Egyptian city located along the Nile River, which is the longest-running river in the world, has been described as the most beautiful ancient city that ever existed.
It finds itself built on the ancient site of Thebes and is coined the pharaohs’ capital of Egypt. This clearly demonstrates the wealth and class that were required to live in Luxor and mirrors the beauty that the city has to offer.
The city features two surviving historical monuments that can still be visited today – the Temple of Karnak and the elegant Luxor Temple which were home to some of the ruling pharaohs at the time.
