Buildings and Architecture in Africa

It can be rare for any country to show two completely different identities, even rarer for smaller countries. But the Eritrean coastal town does just that. In stark contrast to the Christian influenced Italian colonial architecture all over the central highlands of the country, Massawa sports a very different Islamic flavoured Ottoman style of buildings. The very small old town, on a tiny island barely connected to the mainland by a man-made causeway, cannot be judged on its square footage alone. The labyrinth of tiny alleyways is literally littered with architectural gems, using dry corals for walls and imported wood for window shutter, all in a slow but steady process of decay. There is no Disneyfication here. Massawa is real with the grim and toil of hundreds of years hanging heavy in the air.

Ethiopia has a long history of empires coming and empires going. But during the 16th and 17th centuries, one of the mightiest empires placed their capital in Gondar. The result is the UNESCO-listed walled fortress of Fasil Ghebbi. With palaces, churches, monasteries and various other buildings all crammed into a square kilometre, the old fortress has tremendous bang for the buck. Wandering the grounds from building to building, you might think you're in some scene from Lord of the Rings. The buildings run anything from expertly restored to crumbling to the ground. Although the actual town of Gondar ain't much, Fasil Ghebbi is a major highlight, not only of the country, but of the entire region.

Mozambique Island is the cradle of African colonialism and so soaked in history that it's deserved a UNESCO site. First came Arabian traders, and later the Portuguese. It became one of the central ports for the slave trade and was for a long time the capital of Portuguese East Africa, leaving the island with a density of colonial buildings not matched by many other places in Africa. What makes Mozambique Island further unique today, is that people are living in and among these decayed mansions, giving the island an almost squatter feel. Most of the historical sites are at the northern end, where the once cobbled streets are now sandy and potholed and the crumbling once-grand buildings stand neglected among bushes and shady trees. The southern end of the island is a densely populated shack town with easy going people. There are also several beaches around Mozambique Island, but they are mostly used by playing children and fishermen fixing their boats, but local guys will be happy to do boat tours to nearby islands. However, Mozambique Island's charm is the old houses and laid back atmosphere.

The old Grande Mosquee in Agadez dates back to 1515, but was totally rebuilt in 1844. In the early morning light, the minaret of clay and wood shines with warm colors, while people dressed in colorful clothes, moves around. It's a magical place, with all the sounds and sights, and the smell of the desert.
Agadez lies in the Sahara Desert, and the sandy streets, the mud brick buildings and dry heat of the desert, creates a wonderful atmosphere. For a small fee you can climb the minaret, which will give you good views of the city.
Agadez is a about 13 hours by bus from the capital Niamey, but you can also fly here - even from France.

They say "Good things come in small packages". This is certainly true about the town of Tozeur and it's pint-sized old town. It is the old town's wonderful traditional brickwork, dating back to the 14th century, laid in unique and original patterns that give the place it's 'wow' factor. Every building is carefully hand crafted to be just a little different, or tied together with a neighbourhood motif. But the town is not a one-hit wonder. The large palm forest is a pleasure to walk through as you stumble upon tiny villages tucked into the groves. Day-trips out to Ong Jemel (Star Wars set) are available. And there's a very surreal park with one of the most bizarre Mount Rushmore homages. Tozeur is full of wonderful unique oddities.

Throughout the region, the Berber people are renowned for their resourcefulness in living in some of the most inhospitable places on Earth. They manage to find a harmony with the land to provide the essentials of life, like food and shelter. Nowhere is this more apparent then in the tiny village of Matmata. In order to stay cool in the sweltering mid-summer heat and warm in the surprising cold of winter, they have building their homes into the ground, literally. 5-10 meter deep artificial craters act as a central courtyard to rooms dug into the steep walls. The best way to experience this unique accommodation is to stay overnight. It's also the best way to experience the friendly village of Matmata. Most tourists show up on luxury buses, take pictures of the cave that was Luke Skywalker's home and leave. Spending the night seems to allow the village to open up to you, before getting closed into your cave room.