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Origin of humans. The Unesco World Heritage Sites in Africa

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Incredible beauty of architectural structures, mysterious antique necropolises, extensive reserves with many rare animals and plants, squares of historical cities and places of interest, the history of the appearance of which still raises many questions. Where can you see all these unique objects? In Africa! On the continent, which most tourists associate exclusively with the Sahara desert and debilitating heat. Literally in every African country there are amazing sights that deserve the attention of inquisitive tourists. The continent is rich in incredibly beautiful nature reserves. It has preserved many ancient cities.The pyramids of Giza are considered to be one of the most recognizable sights in the world. Those who wish unforgettable African adventures, should visit these unique sites included in the World Heritage List.

Tassili Ajjer, Algeria

In the south-east of Algeria, among the lifeless landscapes of the Sahara is the unique plateau of Tassili n'Ajjer. The main value of this area are rock drawings, some of them date to the 7th millennium BC. Currently, a plateau, the length of which is about 500 meters, is part of a large national reserve Tassili n'Ajjer, whose total area is more than 70000 square meters. Apart from the incredible archaeological objects, the mountains are also remarkable for the original geological formations.

Tassili Ajjer, Algeria For thousands of years, under the influence of wind, incredibly beautiful and harmonious stone arches were formed from sandstone. Geologists have found out that stormy rivers once flowed through this area. Visitors can see more than 300 unique geological formations, look into mysterious caves and wander through one of the most valuable archaeological areas in the world.

In 1909, colorful rock drawings depicting people, animals and different life scenes were discovered on the plateau. They are still a good proof that this desolate desert was once full of life. Here, rivers flowed, on whose banks fertile soils were found. Herds of domestic animals were grazing on large meadows. A total of more than 15000 rock drawings were found on the plateau. The age of some of them is about 8 thousands years. The later drawings date to the first century AD. Tassili n'Ajjer is one of the world's largest clusters of rock art elements, making it a landmark of world significance. Next - Abomey Royal Palaces

Abomey Royal Palaces, Benin

Abomey Royal Palaces, Benin In Abomey, the city of Benin, there is a unique historical complex - beautiful royal palaces, which are a reminder of the reign of the Dahomey kings. The complex consists of 12 palaces, whose architectural history is connected with an interesting cultural tradition. After each change of the ruler, a new palace was built next to the old one. The huge complex was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage in 1985. Complete article

Senegambia Stone Circles, Gambia

Senegambia Stone Circles, Gambia Travellers who like to explore unusual sights should go to the Gambia. Here, in the Senegambia area are mysterious circles of megaliths, about the appointment and history of which scientists from around the world have been arguing for hundreds of years. Scientists managed to find out that the mysterious circles were built in the period from the 8th to the 12th century. With a more thorough investigation of the area, they discovered burials of earlier periods. Complete article

Asante Traditional Buildings, Ghana

Asante Traditional Buildings, Ghana In Ghana, there is a curious object that will appeal to lovers of unusual architectural sights. It is the traditional architecture of Ashanti people in the district of Asanta. The complex of 13 buildings is incredibly beautiful and is nowadays, unfortunately, the only memory of the once powerful and prosperous state of Ashanti. The state flourished in the 18th century, and from the beginning of the 19th century, it was ravaged by destructive wars. Finally, the state was conquered by the British army in 1901, during the war years almost all the buildings were destroyed. The beautiful houses that travellers can see today are witnesses to the most tragic events in the history of the Ashanti state. At present, architectural structures are under special protection and are constantly being restored. Complete article

Ancient Thebes Necropolis, Egypt

Ancient Thebes Necropolis, Egypt The Thebes Necropolis is one of the most important sights of Egypt. Here, one can see the unique burials of pharaohs, preserved memorial stamps and other historical buildings connected with the culture of the ancient Egyptian city of Thebes. Among the memorials one must mention, in particular, the temple of Queen Hatshepsut, located in the district of Deir el-Bahari. The memory temple of Ramses III. Is also very interesting and worth seeing. Complete article

Memphis Necropolis, Egypt

Memphis Necropolis, Egypt Tourists in Egypt, who want to see more than Thebes Necropolis, can visit the ancient Egyptian city of Memphis and get to know its unique sights. This once mighty city existed for more than 3000 years. Its history ended in the fifth century of our chronology. Today Memphis is a unique open-air museum. On the territory of the old town no building has been preserved, for several years the whole territory has been constantly explored by archaeologists. Complete article

Saint Catherine Monastery, Egypt

Saint Catherine Monastery, Egypt In the center of the Sinai peninsula is a unique religious landmark - the monastery of St. Catherine. This monastery was founded in the 4th century and has existed for more than one and a half thousand years, which makes it one of the oldest monasteries in the world. The monastery was built on order of Emperor Justinian I. It was originally called the Transfiguration Monastery, and acquired its present name only in the 11th century. The monastery has been a traditional Christian pilgrimage site for many centuries. The main artifact preserved in it are the relics of Saint Catherine. Complete article

Mana Pools Park, Zimbabwe

Mana Pools Park, Zimbabwe Travellers who prefer natural sights can travel to Mana Pools in Zimbabwe. This piece of undeveloped nature lies in the northern part of the country, on the banks of the Zambezi river. Its main peculiar feature is the abundance of marshes, fresh water of which attracts numerous wild animals. Typical inhabitants of the nature reserve are buffaloes and elephants, leopards and cheetahs, as well as the Nile crocodile. Complete article

Sangha Trinational, Cameroon - Central African Republic - Congo

Sangha Trinational, Cameroon - Central African Republic - Congo The Sangha Forest is probably the most unusual nature reserve in Africa. It is so vast that it lies in the territories of just three states - Cameroon, the Central African Republic and Congo. For this reason, the Sangha Forest is also often referred to as the Forest of the Three Nations. The largest part of the nature reserve is covered with evergreen rainforests, which serve as a gateway for exciting tourist hikes and important scientific researches. Complete article

Lake Turkana, Kenya

Lake Turkana, Kenya In Kenya, is one of the world’s most important natural attractions - Lake Turkana, also known under another name – Lake Rudolph. This lake lies on the territory of the Great Reef valley. Its depth is relatively small and is on average of about 30 meters. At the same time the size of the lake is quite impressive; Its length is about 290 km, and the latitude is about 32 km. The general surface of the water basin is 6405 sqm. Complete article

Okapi Wildlife Reserve, Congo

Okapi Wildlife Reserve, Congo Nature lovers can visit the Okapi Wildlife Reserve in Congo, which is located in the north-eastern part of the state. The surface of the nature reserve is about 13.7 thousand square kilometers. The main value of the national nature conservation area are rare animals, some of whose species are on the verge of extinction. There are 13 species of monkeys on the territory of the nature reserve. In the park you can also see the Wild elephant, and the main inhabitants of the park are okapi. Complete article

Grand-Bassam, Côte d'Ivoire

Grand-Bassam, Côte d'Ivoire In Côte d'Ivoire you will find an amazing city of Grand-Bassam, which will definitely please those travellers who like historical sites and unique architectural monuments. In the period from 1893 to 1896, this city was a French colonial capital. After the eruption of the yellow fever, Grand-Bassam lost its original importance. Complete article

Banc d Arguin Park, Mauritania

Banc d Arguin Park, Mauritania In Mauritania lies a remarkable coastal park Banc d'Arguin, which amazes travellers with a variety of landscapes and exotic inhabitants. The nature reserve is located on the coastal territory of the Atlantic. Its guests can see wonderful sand dunes, small islands and coastal marshes, as well as to get acquainted with the amazing inhabitants of the local fauna. Complete article

Medina of Marrakesh, Morocco

Medina of Marrakesh, Morocco Marrakech is the most visited and colourful city in Morocco, whose historic center is famous all over the world thanks to incredible architectural sights and lively markets. In 1985, the Medina of Marrakesh was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Many tourists know it under the unofficial name 'Red City'. The thing is that old clay buildings and fortifications with red walls are the most important landmarks of the old town. Complete article

Stone Town of Zanzibar, Tanzania

Stone Town of Zanzibar, Tanzania The Stone Town of Zanzibar, a unique historical district with a lot of preserved buildings, is one of the most interesting historical sights in Tanzania. The unusual name of the historical district is due to a lot of stone buildings, the first of which were built at the beginning of the 19th century. At that time, Zanzibar was a large trading city. At the time of the reign of Said ibn Sultan, Zanzibar was proclaimed the capital of the Ottoman Empire. Complete article
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The Unesco World Heritage Sites in Africa - interactive map

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