The most beautiful city of Africa

A July 2001 trip to Djenne by jurgen

Quote: According to National Geographic, Djenné is Africa's most beautiful city. They can be right..

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The most beautiful city of Africa

Overview

Quote:

The entire city of Djenné was placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1988. UNESCO did its best to preserve the city as good as possible. The result is that the building in the city are in a very good shape. But there is also negative point to this preservation. The sewers in the city are still open, leading to a very dirty city. The UNESCO does not allow any improvements to this situation because it is not authentic. The best things to see in Djenné are the Monday Market and the great mosque. Remember that it is not allowed to enter the mosque for non-muslim people.Quick Tips: The best day to visit Djenné is Monday. On Monday there is a market on the square in front of the great...Read More

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Campement

Hotel

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In the campement you can rent a room with a fan (10,000 CFA) or without a fan (5,000 CFA). Rooms are very simple and when it rains outside, it also rains inside.
The toilets and showers are shared with the other guests.
We did not rent a room but build our tents on the roof of the campement. This proved to be a mistake later that evening when the storm began. Our tents almost blew into the Bani river so we spent the rest of the night under a mosquito net in the bar.

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on August 10, 2001

Campement
Near the Great Mosque
Djenne, Mali

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Monday Market

Best Of IgoUgo

Attraction

Market Photo - Monday Market, Djenne, Mali

Quote:

On monday people from all over the region enter Djenné to sell their goods on the market. A long line of ox- and donkeycars enters the city in the morning. This can be a nice view at the dam connecting Djenné to the other side of the river.
The market is very colorful. Spices, mango, meat, shoes, etc. are sold here.
Do not visit the market in groups. It is very hard to get contact with the locals when you do that.

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on August 10, 2001

Monday Market
In front of Grand Mosque
Djenne, Mali

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Djenné history

Story/Tip

Quote:

Djenné has probably grown out of a 9th century Bozo village build on a island in the Bani-river. In the 13th century the city became a important tradehub in the trans-Sahara route. Big pinasses (ships) transported salt from, and gold and ivory to Tombouctou.
In that period the Grand Mosque was built. Unfortunately, it was destroyed by the Peul when they arrived in Djenné in 1837. After colonization, the French rebuilt it to gain more support from the locals in 1907.
Today Djenné is a small unimportant city with only 8,000 inhabitants.