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Tomb of Askia is a mud pyramid in Gao, Mali, that has been recognised as a World Heritage Site. It is the tomb of Askia Mohamed I (1442-1538), the Emperor of Songhai. Standing at a height of 17 meters, the tomb was completed in 1495, after Askia returned from his pilgrimage to Mecca.

A reverent Muslim, Askia brought back all the raw material to be use in building his tomb from Mecca, including the mud and the wood. The caravan transporting the material comprised thousands of camels. Upon his returned, he made Islam the offical religion of the empire.


Tomb of Askia, Mali
Tomb of Askia, Mali
Author: David Sessoms (Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic)


 The Tomb of Askia was fashioned in the shape of a house. It has a three-tier design, with steps leading from the outside to each tier. Wooden scaffoldings jutting out from the façade are placed there to help in maintaining the walls. Inside the tomb are chambers and passageways. These were sealed when Asia Mohamed died and was entombed in it.

The Tomb of Askia was inscribed as a World Heritage Site during the 28th session of the World Heritage Committee in Suzhou, China, 28 June - 7 July, 2004.

World Heritage Site Inscription Details

Location: N16 17 23.28 E0 2 40.416 in the region of Gao, Mali
Inscription Year: 2004
Type of Site: Cultural
Inscription Criteria: II, III, IV


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