The architecture of Africa, like other aspects of the culture of Africa, is hugely diverse. Many ethno-linguistic groups have their own architectural traditions. In some cases, broader styles can be identified, such as the Sahelian architecture of an area of West Africa. Culture of Africa encompasses and includes all cultures which were ever in the continent of Africa. ... Architecture (in Greek αρχή = first and τέχνη = craftsmanship) is the art and science of designing buildings and structures. ... West Africa is the region of western Africa generally considered to include these countries: Benin Burkina Faso Cameroon Côte dIvoire (Ivory Coast) Equatorial Guinea Gabon The Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea-Bissau Liberia Mali Niger Nigeria Republic of the Congo (Congo-Brazzaville) Senegal Sierra Leone Togo Chad, Mauritania, and...

As with all architectural traditions, African architecture has been subject to numerous external influences. Even Ancient Egyptian architecture shows a strong influence from ancient Asian traditions. More recently, Islamic architecture has been the most significant influence on North African architecture and also created the Swahili architecture style. Western architecture has had an impact on coastal areas since the late fifteenth century and is now an important source for many larger buildings, particularly in major cities. Islamic architecture is the entire range of architecture that has evolved from Islam as a social, cultural, political and religious phenomenon. ... (14th century - 15th century - 16th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 15th century was that century which lasted from 1401 to 1500. ...

Ancient architecture in Africa

The Great Pyramids of Giza, regarded as the greatest architectural feat of ancient times

The Great Zimbabwe, entrance to the Great Enclosure. Built by a prosperous culture

Probably the most famous structure in all of Egypt, the Pyramids are still on of the worlds best architectural achievement, even though they were built many centuries ago. The Great Pyramid of Giza File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The Great Pyramid of Giza File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...

Great Zimbabwe is the largest medieval city in sub-Saharan Africa. Great Zimbabwe was constructed and expanded for more than 300 years in a local style that eschewed rectilinearity for flowing curves. Neither the first nor the last of some 300 similar complexes located on the Zimbabwean plateau, Great Zimbabwe is set apart by the terrific scale of its structure. Its most formidable edifice, commonly referred to as the Great Enclosure, has walls as high as 36 feet extending approximately 820 feet, making it the largest ancient structure south of the Sahara Desert.

Early African architecture

Fasil Ghebbi fortress-city in Ethiopia. During the 16th and 17th centuries it housed the Ethiopian emperor Fasilides and his successors

The Great Mosque at Djenne, Mali

Ethiopia saw the rise of several architectural styles. Axumite architecture, developed further around Lalibela, saw the apotheosis of monolithic architecture. Tombs and entire churches were carved out of single blocks of rock, in style which showed the continuing influence of Classical architecture. The arrival of Jesuit missionaries in the nation saw the development of the European-influenced castles of Gonder. Further south, the growth of Arab influence and development of ports saw the birth of Swahili architecture. The Islamic conquest of North Africa saw Islamic architecture develop in the region, including such famous structures as the Cairo citadel. South of the Sahara, Islamic influence was a major contributing factor to the development of Sahelian architecture, initially growing from the two cities of Djenne and Timbuktu. The location of Djenné within Mali Djenné (also Dienné or Jenne) is a city on the Bani River in southern Mali with a population of about 12,000 (in 1987). ... After the city of Aksum, Lalibela is modern Ethiopias holiest city and a center of pilgrimage for much of the country. ... A church building is a building used in Christian worship. ... From the point of view of modern times, the ancient civilizations of the Mediterranean sometimes seem to blend smoothly into one melange we call the Classical. ... The Society of Jesus (Latin: Societas Iesu), commonly known as the Jesuits, is a Roman Catholic religious order. ... The Alcázar of Segovia, Spain A castle (from the Latin castellum, diminutive of castra, a military camp, in turn the plural of castrum or watchpost), is a fort, a camp and the logical development of a fortified enclosure. ... Gondar (less commonly spelled Gonder) was the old imperial capital of Ethiopia located in Beghemidir province. ... The Arabs (Arabic: عرب Ê»arab) are an originally Arabian ethnicity widespread in the Middle East and North Africa. ... Seaport, a painting by Claude Lorrain, 1638 A port is a facility at the edge of an ocean, river, or lake for receiving ships and transferring cargo and persons to them. ... Islamic architecture is the entire range of architecture that has evolved from Islam as a social, cultural, political and religious phenomenon. ... The location of Djenné within Mali Djenné (also Dienné or Jenne) is a city on the Bani River in southern Mali with a population of about 12,000 (in 1987). ... See Timbuktu (novel) for the book by Paul Auster. ...

Early European colonies developed around the West African coast, building large forts. The associated rise of kingdoms in the region produced architecture drew instead on indigenous traditions, utilising wood. West Africa is the region of western Africa generally considered to include these countries: Benin Burkina Faso Cameroon Côte dIvoire (Ivory Coast) Equatorial Guinea Gabon The Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea-Bissau Liberia Mali Niger Nigeria Republic of the Congo (Congo-Brazzaville) Senegal Sierra Leone Togo Chad, Mauritania, and... Fortifications (Latin fortis, strong, and facere, to make) are military constructions designed for defensive warfare. ...

Modern African architecture

Architecture in Fez, Morocco

Ministry of Public Works & M.A.E.C., Niger, Inspired by ancient Sahelian mud buildings.

The revival of interest in traditional styles can be traced to Cairo in the early nineteenth century. This spread across North Africa by 1900, when colonial buildings across the continent began to pastiche elements of traditional African architecture. Other buildings reflected the fashionable European eclecticism and pastisched Mediterreanean or even Northern European styles. Examples of colonial towns from this era survive at Saint-Louis, Senegal, Grand Bassam and elsewhere. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1200x900, 409 KB) Fez, Morocco 2004 september camer=KODAK 7440 Source: Csörföly Dániel File links The following pages link to this file: Fes, Morocco ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1200x900, 409 KB) Fez, Morocco 2004 september camer=KODAK 7440 Source: Csörföly Dániel File links The following pages link to this file: Fes, Morocco ... The word Fez can refer to: Fez, a type of hat. ... Although technically in Giza, The Great Pyramids have become a symbol of Cairo internationally Cairo (Arabic: القاهرة; romanized: al-Qāhirah) is the capital city of Egypt (and previously the United Arab Republic) and has a metropolitan area population of approximately 15. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1900 is a common year starting on Monday. ... Saint-Louis or Saint-Louis du Sénégal (locally called Ndar in the Wolof language) is a city (pop. ... Grand-Bassam is a city in Côte dIvoire, lying east of Abidjan. ...

The impact of modern architecture began to be felt in the 1920s and 30s. Le Corbusier designed several unbuilt schemes for Algeria, including one for the reconstruction of Algiers, while the Italian futurists saw Asmara as an opportunity to build their designs. Later, Alison and Peter Smithson extended their work on British schools into Ghana. But modern architecture in this sense has largely remained the preserve of European architects. Modern architecture is a broad term given to a number of building styles with similar characteristics, primarily the simplification of form and the elimination of ornament, that first arose around 1900. ... Sometimes referred to as the Jazz Age or primarily in North America as the Roaring Twenties. // Events and trends Technology John T. Thompson invents Thompson submachine gun, also known as Tommy gun John Logie Baird invents the first working television system (1925) Charles Lindbergh becomes the first person to fly... // Events and trends The 1930s were spent struggling for a solution to the global depression. ... Notre Dame du Haut Le Corbusier (October 6, 1887–August 27, 1965) was a Swiss architect famous for what is now called the International Style, along with Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Walter Gropius, and Theo van Doesburg. ... Algiers (Fr. ... This article may not be totally authentic. ... Asmara is the capital city and largest settlement in Eritrea, home to a population of around 500,000 people. ... English architect Alison Smithson (1928-1993) formed an architectural partnership with her husband Peter, and is often associated with the Brutalist style. ... English architect Peter Smithson (18 September 1923-3 March 2003) formed an architectural partnership with his wife Alison, and is often associated with the Brutalist style. ...

Post-colonialism, a number of new cities were built, while others were greatly expanded. Perhaps the best known example is that of Abidjan, where the majority of buildings were still designed by high profile non-African architects. In Yamoussoukro, the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace of Yamoussoukro is an example of a desire for monumentality in these new cities, but Arch 22 in the old Gambian capital of Banjul displays the same bravado. Abidjan is the largest city and former capital of Côte dIvoire. ... Yamoussoukro, a town of 100,000 inhabitants located 240 kilometers North of Abidjan, is the administrative capital of Côte dIvoire. ... The Basilica of Our Lady of Peace of Yamoussoukro in Côte dIvoire was consecrated in 1990. ... Street in Banjul city Banjul is the capital of The Gambia with a population of 34,828 as of 2003. ...

Other notable structures of recent years have been some of the world's largest dams. The Aswan High Dam and Akosombo Dam hold back the world's largest reservoirs. In recent years, there has also been renewed bridge building in many nations, while the Trans-Gabon Railway is perhaps the last of the great railways to be constructed. Scrivener Dam, Canberra Australia, was engineered to withstand a once-in-5000-years flood event A dam (a common Teutonic word, compare to Dutch dam, Swedish and German damm, and the Gothic verb faurdammjan, to block up) is a barrier across flowing water that obstructs, directs or retards the flow... Map of Egypt showing the location of Aswan and Lake Nasser. ... View from south, image created Feb. ... Generally, a reservoir is something that can hold matter or energy. ... The Golden Gate Bridge connecting San Francisco and its peninsula to Marin County A bridge is a structure built to span a gorge, valley, road, railroad track, river, body of water, or any other physical obstacle. ... The Trans-Gabon Railway (French: Transgabonais) is the only railway in Gabon. ...

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Architecture of Africa

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