🕌 Tomb of Askia (Gao)
Mali
About This Sacred Site
The Tomb of Askia in Gao, Mali, is the burial site of Askia Muhammad I, the founder of the Askia dynasty of the Songhai Empire. Built in 1495 upon his return from Hajj, the pyramidal mud-brick structure is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a masterpiece of Sudano-Sahelian architecture. The tomb complex includes a mosque, a cemetery, and an assembly ground. Askia Muhammad was one of the greatest rulers in West African history and transformed the Songhai Empire into a center of Islamic learning.
Key Facts
- •UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2004
- •Built in 1495 by Askia Muhammad I after his return from Hajj
- •The pyramidal tomb is 17 meters high and made of mud-brick
- •Askia Muhammad's Songhai Empire was one of the largest in African history
- •The complex includes two flat-roofed mosque buildings and a cemetery
Location
Coordinates: 16.2700, -0.0528
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