Gaze Upon the Empires of Africa

When people think of tourism in Africa, they typically think of safaris and wildlife reserves. Many fail to remember the many civilizations of Africa that flourished across the continent, leaving behind awe-inspiring monuments that rival Europe, Asia and South America. Here are six of such empires

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Manden Kurufaba, The Mali Empire

At its height, the Mali Empire was one of the biggest in the world, reaching its peak around 1300. Its most famous city, Timbuktu, was a cultural hub visited by scholars and artists from across Africa and the Middle East.

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Awkar, The Ghana Empire

Mali’s vassal kingdom was a declining Ghana Empire, lasting for nearly 1,000 years thanks to its rich gold mines and extensive trans-Saharan trade routes.

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Axum, The Aksumite Empire

Dating back to 100–940 AD, the Kingdom of Aksum served as an important trade link between India and the Roman Empire, making the Empire so wealthy it became the first in Africa to print its own currency. The conversion of King Ezana II made it one of the first Christian states to ever exist, as well as an alleged location for the Ark of the Covenant.

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Songhay, The Songhai Empire

Created in rebellion against the Mali Empire, Songhay established itself by seizing Timbuktu in 1468. The Empire became one of the continent’s largest states, the last of the three major pre-colonial empires of West Africa, covering about 1.4 million square kilometers.

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Abyssinia, The Ethiopian Empire

Lasting more than 800 years, Abyssinia is one of two nations that remained independent following the Scramble for Africa (the other being Liberia). By 1974, it was one of three countries in the world to still be ruled by an Emperor, before a military coup deposed Haile Selassie I.

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Igodomigodo, The Benin Empire

Igodomigodo was one of the last great empires before colonialism fully took over Africa. The Golden Age of the Benin Empire is most remembered for its rich artistic culture, especially in metalworking and ivory.