The Legend of Timbuktu, Mali and Today By Matt Rosenberg Updated February 19, 2016. The word "Timbuktu" (or Timbuctoo or Tombouctou) is used in several languages to represent a far-away place but Timbuktu is an actual city in the African country of Mali . Where Is Timbuktu? Located near the edge the Niger River, Timbuktu is situated near the middle of Mali in Africa. Timbuktu has a population of approximately 30,000 and is a major Saharan Desert trading post. The Legend of Timbuktu Timbuktu was founded by nomads in the twelfth century and it rapidly became a major trading depot for the caravans of the Sahara Desert . During the fourteenth century, the legend of Timbuktu as a rich cultural center spread through the world. The beginning of the legend can be traced to 1324, when the Emperor of Mali made his pilgrimage to Mecca via Cairo. In Cairo, the merchants and traders were impressed by the amount of gold carried by the emperor, who claimed that the gold was from Timbuktu.

Furthermore, in 1354 the great Muslim explorer Ibn Batuta wrote of his visit to Timbuktu and told of the wealth and gold of the region. continue reading below our video Test Your General Science Knowledge Thus, Timbuktu became renown as an African El Dorado, a city made of gold. During the fifteenth century, Timbuktu grew in importance, but its homes were never made of gold. Timbuktu produced few of its own goods but served as the major trading center for salt trade across the desert region. The city also became a center of Islamic study and the home of a university and extensive library. The city's maximum population during the 1400s probably numbered somewhere between 50,000 to 100,000, with approximately one-quarter of the population composed of scholars and students. The Timbuktu Legend Grows The legend of Timbuktu's wealth refused to die and only grew. A 1526 visit to Timbuktu by a Muslim from Grenada, Leo Africanus, told of Timbuktu as a typical trading outpost. This only incited further interest in the city.

In 1618, a London company was formed to establish trade with Timbuktu. Unfortunately, the first trading expedition ended up with the massacre of all its members and a second expedition sailed up the Gambia River and thus never reached Timbuktu. In the 1700s and early 1800s, many explorers attempted to reach Timbuktu but none returned. Many unsuccessful and successful explorers were forced to drink camel urine, their own urine, or even blood to attempt to survive the barren Sahara Desert. Known wells would be dry or would not provide enough water upon an expedition's arrival. Mungo Park was a Scottish doctor who attempted a trip to Timbuktu in 1805. Unfortunately, his expedition team of dozens of Europeans and natives all died or abandoned the expedition along the way and Park was left to sail along the Niger River, never visiting Timbuktu, but merely shooting at people and other objects on the shore with his guns as his insanity increased along his voyage. His body was never found.

In 1824, the Geographical Society of Paris offered a reward of 7000 francs and a gold metal valued at 2,000 francs to the first European who could visit Timbuktu and return to tell their story of the mythical city. European Arrival in Timbuktu The first European acknowledged to have reached Timbuktu was Scottish explorer Gordon Laing. He left Tripoli in 1825 and traveled for a year and a month to reach Timbuktu. On the way, he was attacked by the ruling Tuareg nomads and was shot, cut by swords, and broke his arm. He recovered from the vicious attack and made his way to Timbuktu and arrived in August 1826. Laing was unimpressed with Timbuktu, which had, as Leo Africanus reported, become simply a salt trading outpost filled with mud-walled homes in the middle of a barren desert. Laing remained in Timbuktu for just over one month. Two days after leaving Timbuktu, he was murdered. French explorer Rene-Auguste Caillie had better luck than Laing.

He planned to make his trip to Timbuktu disguised as an Arab as part of a caravan, much to the chagrin of proper European explorers of the era. Caillie studied Arabic and the Islamic religion for several years. In April 1827, he left the coast of West Africa and reached Timbuktu a year later, even though he was ill for five months during the trip. Caillie was unimpressed with Timbuktu and remained there for two weeks. He then returned to Morocco and then home to France. Caillie published three volumes about his travels and was awarded the prize from the Geographical Society of Paris. German geographer Heinrich Barth left Tripoli with two other explorers in 1850 for a trek to Timbuktu but his companions both died. Barth reached Timbuktu in 1853 and did not return home until 1855 - he was feared dead by many. Barth gained fame through the publication of his five volumes of his experiences. As with previous explorers to Timbuktu, Barth found the city quite the anti-climax.

French Colonial Control of Timbuktu In the late 1800s, France took control of the Mali region and decided to take Timbuktu away from the control of the violent Tuareg who controlled trade in the area. The French military was sent to occupy Timbuktu in 1894. Under the command of Major Joseph Joffre (later a famous World War I general), Timbuktu was occupied and became the site of a French fort. Communication between Timbuktu and France was difficult, making Timbuktu an unhappy place for a soldier to be stationed. Nonetheless, the area around Timbuktu was well protected from the Tuareg so other nomad groups were able to live without fear of the hostile Tuareg. Modern Timbuktu Even after the invention of air travel, the Sahara was unyielding. The plane making an inaugural air flight from Algiers to Timbuktu in 1920 was lost. Eventually, a successful air strip was established; however, today, Timbuktu is still most commonly reached by camel, motor vehicle, or boat.

In 1960, Timbuktu became part of the independent country of Mali. The population of Timbuktu in a 1940 census was estimated at approximately 5,000 people; in 1976, the population was 19,000; in 1987 (the latest estimate available), 32,000 people resided in the city. In 1988, Timbuktu was designated a United Nations World Heritage Site and efforts are underway to preserve and protect the city and especially its centuries-old mosques. Timbuktu | Mali | Britannica.com Timbuktu Africa Timbuktu, French Tombouctou, city in the western African country of Mali , historically important as a trading post on the trans-Saharan caravan route and as a centre of Islamic culture (c. 1400–1600). It is located on the southern edge of the Sahara , about 8 miles (13 km) north of the Niger River . The city was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1988.

In 2012, in response to armed conflict in the region, Timbuktu was added to the UNESCO List of World Heritage in Danger. Sankore mosque, Timbuktu, Mali. Timbuktu, Mali, designated a World Heritage site in 1988. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Timbuktu was founded about 1100 ce as a seasonal camp by Tuareg nomads. There are several stories concerning the derivation of the city’s name. According to one tradition, Timbuktu was named for an old woman left to oversee the camp while the Tuareg roamed the Sahara. Her name (variously given as Tomboutou, Timbuktu, or Buctoo) meant “mother with a large navel,” possibly describing an umbilical hernia or other such physical malady. Timbuktu’s location at the meeting point of desert and water made it an ideal trading centre. In the late 13th or early 14th century it was incorporated into the Mali empire.

By the 14th century it was a flourishing centre for the trans-Saharan gold and salt trade, and it grew as a centre of Islamic culture. Three of western Africa’s oldest mosques—Djinguereber (Djingareyber), Sankore, and Sidi Yahia—were built there during the 14th and early 15th centuries. After an extravagant pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324, the Mali emperor Mansa Mūsā built the Great Mosque (Djinguereber) and a royal residence, the Madugu (the former has since been rebuilt many times, and of the latter no trace remains). The Granada architect Abū Isḥāq al-Sāḥili was then commissioned to design the Sankore mosque, around which Sankore University was established. The mosque still stands today, probably because of al-Sāḥili’s directive to incorporate a wooden framework into the mud walls of the building, thus facilitating annual repairs after the rainy season. The Tuareg regained control of the city in 1433, but they ruled from the desert.

Although the Tuareg exacted sizable tributes and plundered periodically, trade and learning continued to flourish in Timbuktu. By 1450 its population increased to about 100,000. The city’s scholars, many of whom had studied in Mecca or in Egypt, numbered some 25,000. Great Mosque, built by Emperor Mūsā I of Mali in 1327, Timbuktu, Mali. L. Romano/DeA Picture Library Mopti In 1468 the city was conquered by the Songhai ruler Sonni ʿAlī . He was generally ill disposed toward the city’s Muslim scholars, but his successor—the first ruler of the new Askia dynasty , Muḥammad I Askia of Songhai (reigned 1493–1528)—used the scholarly elite as legal and moral counselors . During the Askia period (1493–1591) Timbuktu was at the height of its commercial and intellectual development.

Merchants from Ghudāmis ( Ghadamis ; now in Libya), Augila (now Awjidah, Libya), and numerous other cities of North Africa gathered there to buy gold and slaves in exchange for the Saharan salt of Taghaza and for North African cloth and horses. After it was captured by Morocco in 1591, the city declined. Its scholars were ordered arrested in 1593 on suspicion of disaffection; some were killed during a resulting struggle, while others were exiled to Morocco. Perhaps worse still, the small Moroccan garrisons placed in command of the city offered inadequate protection, and Timbuktu was repeatedly attacked and conquered by the Bambara , Fulani , and Tuareg. European explorers reached Timbuktu in the early 19th century. The ill-fated Scottish explorer Gordon Laing was the first to arrive (1826), followed by the French explorer René-Auguste Caillié in 1828. Caillié, who had studied Islam and learned Arabic, reached Timbuktu disguised as an Arab.

After two weeks he departed, becoming the first explorer to return to Europe with firsthand knowledge of the city (rumours of Timbuktu’s wealth had reached Europe centuries before, owing to tales of Mūsā’s 11th-century caravan to Mecca). In 1853 the German geographer Heinrich Barth reached the city during a five-year trek across Africa. He, too, survived the journey, later publishing a chronicle of his travels. Market in Timbuktu, Mali. Ringling Bros. Folds Its Tent Timbuktu was captured by the French in 1894. They partly restored the city from the desolate condition in which they found it, but no connecting railway or hard-surfaced road was built. In 1960 it became part of the newly independent Republic of Mali. Africa at Random: Fact or Fiction? Timbuktu is now an administrative centre of Mali. In the late 1990s, restoration efforts were undertaken to preserve the city’s three great mosques, which were threatened by sand encroachment and by general decay.

An even greater threat came in 2012 when Tuareg rebels, backed by Islamic militants, took control of the northern part of the country. The Tuaregs claimed the territory, which included Timbuktu, as the independent state of Azawad. However, the Tuareg rebels were soon supplanted by the Islamic militants, who then imposed their strict version of Sharīʾah (Islamic law) on the inhabitants. The Islamic militants—in particular, one group known as Ansar Dine—deemed many of Timbuktu’s historic religious monuments and artifacts to be idolatrous, and, to that end, they damaged or destroyed many of them, including tombs of Islamic saints housed at the Djinguereber and Sidi Yahia mosques. Work to repair the damage began after the militants were routed from the town in early 2013. Pop. (2009) 54,453. A caretaker praying over a tomb that was damaged by Islamic militants in 2012, Timbuktu, Mali.

Baba Ahmed/AP Images Timbuktu - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up) The city of Timbuktu, Mali, is located on the southern edge of the Sahara, a vast desert. The city lies about 8 miles (13 kilometers) north of the Niger River. Today, as in centuries past, few roads lead there. The city is mostly accessible by camel or boat, though it has a small airport. Timbuktu was long famous as a center of commerce and scholarship. The city was a major stop on the large caravan routes that crossed the Sahara to trade salt and gold. From about 1400 to 1600, Timbuktu was also an important center of Islamic learning and culture. Because of its historical and cultural monuments, the city was designated a World Heritage site by UNESCO (a United Nations agency) in 1988. Article History Where Is Timbuktu? | Wonderopolis Wonder of the Day #1064 Where Is Timbuktu? How many people call Timbuktu home? Why was Timbuktu named a United Nations World Heritage Site?

Tags: Listen If you ever head out on a long trip to a distant , remote, or exotic location , you may likely hear the phrase “from here to Timbuktu" used more than once. This popular phrase has been used for hundreds of years. It paints Timbuktu as a mysterious and exotic location seemingly at the ends of the Earth. In fact, because of this phrase, many people believe Timbuktu is an imaginary or mythical place. But is it? Not at all! Timbuktu is a very real city located in the West African country of Mali. It is an exotic location , though. Sitting about 12 miles north of the Niger River on the southern border of the Sahara Desert, Timbuktu is home to approximately 50,000 people. So how did the real city of Timbuktu come to be associated with exotic mystery to the point that it's become legendary? Hundreds of years ago, Timbuktu went from a seasonal settlement to a permanent city . By the early 13th century, it was part of the Mali Empire and an important part of the trade route that shipped salt, gold, ivory, and slaves.

The home of an ancient Islamic university, Timbuktu was also known as a place for scholars in its Golden Age. Several important mosques were built, and Timbuktu became an important force in the spread of Islam in Africa. During this time, writers, including Leo Africanus and Shabeni, wrote magnificent tales of Timbuktu's wealth. These stories fascinated Europeans, who began to send expeditions to explore the west coast of Africa. It is these old stories that likely gave rise to Timbuktu's reputation as a faraway, mysterious , and exotic locale. Today, however, Timbuktu resembles nothing of its former glory. It has become a desert town with sand for streets. Most of its residents live in poverty . In July 2012, it was overtaken by radical Islamist rebels, and many residents have fled the city for other areas. Wonder Words (17) Tomorrow’s Wonder of the Day is heavier than you might think! Try It Out Timbuktu has for centuries been home to mosques that were important in the spread of Islam throughout Africa hundreds of years ago. For this reason, Timbuktu was designated a United Nations World Heritage Site in 1988.

Unfortunately, since radical Islamist rebels took over Timbuktu in July 2012, many of the city's shrines have been destroyed or damaged. In fact, potential visitors are advised to avoid Timbuktu at the present time. You can still visit Timbuktu virtually, though, and see the mosques that made the city famous. Check out the United Nations World Heritage Site webpage for Timbuktu online. You can read about the mosques and also see pictures of them in their former glory. Authors helped give rise to Timbuktu's mystique by writing stories about the city's prosperity. Think about an exotic place you'd like to visit and write a story or a poem about why you want to go. What is special about the location? How would you get there? What would you expect to find? What would you do there? Share your stories with us on our Facebook page .

Timbuktu travel guide - Wikitravel 9 Get out WARNING: The situation in Timbuktu has gotten much better since the peace agreement signed in Algiers in February of 2015, but there are still sporadic terrorist attacks in the region and travelers should follow the advice of their embassy before travelling to Timbuktu. Although now held by the government of Mali, In July 2012 Timbuktu was captured Islamist rebels who captured the city from a secular rebel group in June. The rebels imposed sharia law, which includes mandatory veils for women, the stoning of adulterers, and punitive "amputations" for thieves. The rebels called for the destruction of all of the city's shrines, which they believe to be a form of idolatry banned by Islam. More information can be found in the warning at the top of the Mali page. (Updated June 2015) Timbuktu (also Tombouctou or Timbuctu) is a Tuareg city on the Niger River in the country of Mali .

Understand[ edit ] Its long history as a trading outpost that linked black Africa below the Sahara Desert with Berber and Islamic traders throughout north Africa, and thereby indirectly with traders from Europe, has given it a fabled status. Combined with its relative inaccessibility, "Timbuktu" has come to be used as a metaphor for exotic, distant lands. Donkey transport outside Timbuktu's walls Today, Timbuktu is an impoverished town, although its reputation makes it a tourist attraction, and it has an airport. It is one of the eight regions of Mali, home to the local governor. It is the sister city to Djenne (also in Mali). Timbuktu is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988. In 1990, it was added to the list of world heritage sites in danger, due to the threat of desert sands. A program was set up to preserve the site and in 2005, it was taken off the list of endangered sites but re-added in 2012 after the Islamists Rebels took up arms. It was one of the major stops during Henry Louis Gates' PBS special "Wonders of the African World".

Gates visited with Abdel Kadir Haidara, curator of the Mamma Haidara Library together with Ali Ould Sidi from the Cultural Mission of Mali. It is thanks to Gates that an Andrew Mellon Foundation Grant was obtained to finance the construction of the library's facilities, later inspiring the work of the Timbuktu Libraries Project. Unfortunately, no practicing book artists exist in Timbuktu although cultural memory of book artisans is still alive, catering to the tourist trade. It is also home to an institute dedicated to preserving historic documents from the region. The city itself is in stark contrast to the rest of the country's cities, because it has more of an Arabic flair than of an African. The streets are made of sand (except one), and one has often to go down to get into the houses, because of the sand which has leveled the streets higher than the entrances of the houses. By car[ edit ] You can come in a 12 to 24 hours trip by car from Mopti or have a hard 4x4 experience from Gao through the desert.

By boat[ edit ] You can catch one of the many tourist pinasses from Mopti (or slightly further downstream if the water level is low) they take 3 days to get there and are comfortable (at least mine was). During tourist season there will be plenty of people waiting to go so you can club together to hire one of the pinasses. At night you will be camping on the shore and there will likely be a cook on the boat, they even have 'toilets' at the back. There are also local boats running up and down stream regularly but they are a little more cramped, but probably a lot cheaper. By plane[ edit ] You can fly into Timbuktu Airport ( IATA : TOM) from Bamako or Mopti (yes, the organization is very rural) and come by plane, although its schedule is extremely unreliable and unpredictable and flights are difficult to book from outside the country. Get around[ edit ] Timbuktu street scene There are Taxis, camels and donkeys - and not much more... That said you can easily walk from one end of the city to the other in under an hour.

All the mosques are located in the old town which can be walked across in just a few minutes. See[ edit ][ add listing ] The Islamist rebel group Ansar Dine has called for the destruction of all shrines in the city and any mosques containing idols after capturing the city in June 2012. As of July 1, 2012, six of Timbuktu's shrines have been completely destroyed. UNESCO has condemned the actions and placed the city's UNESCO World Heritage Site status in limbo. The information below may not have been updated since these events. Things to see in Timbuktu are certainly the Mosques (closed at hours of prayer. As of April 07, major mosques are closed to non-Muslim visitors). There are three main mosques in Timbuktu, the Djingareiber Mosque, a world heritage site, which is probably the largest and most impressive, however as of Aug 2007 it is being repaired. When taking photos be careful not to take pictures towards the army barracks just to the south. The Sankoré mosque has an impressive minaret and is worth a visit, the Sidi Yéhia Mosque is not as impressive.

All three are within a short walk of each other. The Western explorers who were the 'first' to find Timbuktu all have their houses preserved and commemorative plaques are visible on each of them. The explorers are Alexander Gordan Laing, first Westerner to make it there, René Caillié, first Westerner to make it there and back, Heinrich Barth, Oscar Lenz and Berky. Only the Heinrich Barth house has a museum, a few old photos, the rest of the houses are all lived in. The orginal well of Bouctou, now dry, is in someone's back garden along with the Timbuktu Museum which has an interesting mix of artifacts and contemporary folk art, albeit very dusty. Inside Sankore Mosque The Grand Marché is a two-story market with stalls and shops selling all kinds of things, it is well worth going just for the incredible view from the roof, across the whole of Timbuktu to the desert. You can also hire a Tuareg and camels, however the "sunset tours" are too short to really appreciate the surroundings as the Tuareg camps are only a few hundred metres away from the edge of town.

However it is interesting to visit one of the camps (usually just a small family group) and see the sun set over the desert. Even if you don't visit the camps it is worth walking to the dunes on the edge of the town just to see them. A tour over several days will however be fascinating. You may even go to do the 40 day trip to the salt fields. Negotiate with the Tuaregs themselves and not so-called "guides". The flame of peace is a monument to the ceasefire of the Tuareg rebellion. It's just to the northeast of the Petite marché. Although it is pretty new it is clearly falling apart already. It is not a bad idea to take a child as guide, it prevents you from being hassled as much. Don't forget to visit the tourist office so you can get your passport stamped with a Timbuktu stamp. Buy[ edit ][ add listing ] Take some salt along as well as the Tuareg sabres or knifes. You'll be pretty hard pressed to get away from vendors selling all the same "unique" necklaces, earrings, knives and other handicrafts, so make sure to drive them down to a good price.

A fair rule is to offer about a third of the price they originally quote, then haggle so you pay half their first price. They are used to this and so always start at too high a price. However, the things they sell are generally of good quality and great for souvenirs. There is a shop (called 'objets artes boutique' or something similar) that sells the souvenirs to the sellers you see around town. If you head north from the hotel colom the road forks, take the left fork and about 100-200m down the road,on the left hand side, is this shop. Prices are 6-10 times cheaper here, you cannot barter but you may get a small (5-10%) discount for buying several items. Sankore Mosque Another good idea is to get a postcard and post it, it will have the Timbuktu postal stamp on it. The Post office is down the main street south of the roundabout. The staff in there will give you the right stamps, you can sometimes buy postcards from there or from the many street vendors.

Just don't expect to receive the postcard too soon; it can take over a month to get through to many Western countries! Eat[ edit ][ add listing ] Hotel Le Colombe Restaurant, ☎ 292 14 35. 4000CFa. edit There are a number of bar/restaurants around, including one on top of the Grand Marche. There is also a patisserie opposite the post office. Timbuktu - New World Encyclopedia Timbuktu ** Region as classified by UNESCO. Founded perhaps as early as the tenth century, Timbuktu is an African city in the modern day nation of Mali . Occupying a strategic location in the Sahara , it served as a convenient meeting place for neighboring civilizations, nomadic Berber and Arab peoples from the north. A premier trading center for West Africa that often attracted European traders, it continues to serve as an entrepot for rock-salt from Taoudenni. Timbuktu was the center of significant written tradition on the African continent, when by the fourteenth century they had established a system for the writing and copying of important books.

It is remembered as well for its contributions to Islamic scholarship and is home to the prestigious Qur'anic Sankore University and other madrasas, reminiscent of its heritage as an intellectual and spiritual capital of Islamic West Africa in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Its three great mosques—Djingareyber, Sankore and Sidi Yahya—recall Timbuktu's golden age. The city had acquired a mythical status in the West due to its extensive trade in gold and other commodities; it is still believed by some to be a mythical place, rather than an actual city. In contemporary times, Timbuktu is populated by Songhai, Tuareg , Fulani , and Mandé people. Contents 7 Credits Timbuktu's historical monuments are being threatened by a process called desertification, wherein the harsh winds off the Sahara drive sand against them. Although continuously restored, the sands continue to wreak a devastating effect; efforts to maintain the monuments have proven ineffectual. [1] Rise of Timbuktu Location of Timbuktu in Mali A distance sign in the Sahara for caravans.

Origins Timbuktu was established by the nomadic Tuareg perhaps as early as the tenth century along the caravan routes that connected the southern coast of West Africa with the trans-Saharan trade. While conveniently located for trade, the geographic location of Timbuktu left it vulnerable to attacks from Tuareg raiders from the Sahara. The constant attacks and threats of invasion prevented Timbuktu from growing into a political center, hindrances that were not shared by neighboring Gao. While Gao grew into a political capital, Timbuktu was never considered safe enough to establish it as a stable community. Over the long history of Timbuktu the geographical weakness of the city led it to be conquered by the Mali Empire , the Songhai Empire , the Tuareg, and the Fulani before being subdued by French colonial invaders in 1893. Timbuktu as a Trading Center Like its predecessor, Tiraqqa (a neighboring trading city of the Wangara), Timbuktu became immensely wealthy due to its role in the traffic of gold , ivory , slaves , and salt .

These goods originated mainly from the Tuareg, Mandé and Fulani merchants in the north who used Timbuktu as a stepping stone to connect to the southern coast of West Africa. After stopping in Timbuktu and trading with other merchants, traders would transfer their Saharan goods to boats on the Niger River . Eventually these boats were destined for larger ports, including major coastal trading ports where European traders purchased goods to take back to their home countries. Timbuktu's prime trade position made it an obvious target for West African empires seeking to expand their wealth or control over the trade routes. While Timbuktu's history is punctuated by repeated attacks, and it often fell victim to conquering armies, it maintained its position as a trading center despite the political entity that held it in thrall. For example, it retained its status as a key city in the Ghana Empire , the Mali Empire from 1324, and the Songhai Empire from 1468. Under Songhai rule Timbuktu dramatically increased its wealth, and set itself on the road toward reaching its height in the sixteenth century.

The eventual decline of the city, while due in some part to its military losses at the hands of Moroccan adventurers in 1591, can be primarily traced to the influx of Portuguese goods into the West African trading system. By choosing to send goods to the Niger River's mouth instead of up the river, Portuguese traders bypassed Timbuktu leading to the deterioration of the city's economic authority. Timbuktu as an Intellectual Center Sankore Mosque Sankore Madrasah Map from 1855 Timbuktu, while a prominent trading center, also gained recognition in the early fifteenth century as a center for intellectual and religious study. The physical history of the intellectual past of Timbuktu is found in the many mosques and other Islamic institutions that can be found throughout the city. The most famous of these is the Sankore Mosque, also known as the University of Sankore. While Islam was the prominent religion in the city, the majority of the rural population were non-Muslim traditionalists. University of Sankore The most prominent of the Islamic institutions of Timbuktu, the University of Sankore, was established in 1581 C.E.

Considered Timbukto's center of Islamic study, it was built on the remains of an older site, which archaeologists date to the thirteenth or fourteenth century. It exhibited a dramatically different structure than contemporary European universities and consisted of multiple, entirely independent colleges, as opposed to the European idea of a single college at a university. Students at Sankore dedicated themselves to individualized study under one single teacher, and often attended courses in the open courtyards of mosque complexes or private residences. Due to the religious affiliation of the university, most instruction focused on teaching the Qur'an , although broader instruction in fields such as logic , astronomy , and history also took place. As part of their education, students were expected to write books based upon their research, the profits of which were second only to the gold-salt trade. The most famous scholar of Sankore was Ahmed Baba—a highly distinguished historian frequently quoted in the Tarikh-es-Sudan and other works. The Libraries of Timbuktu The historical importance of Timbuktu was preserved for posterity through a system of libraries that cross the city and West Africa in general.

Among the libraries that play a vital role in preserving the history of Timbuktu are: Institute des Hautes Etudes et de Recherche Islamique—Ahmed Baba, Timbuktu, Mamma Haidara Library, Fondo Kati Library, Al-Wangari Library, and Mohamed Tahar Library. Considered part of the African Ink Road that connects West Africa to North Africa and East Africa , these libraries are just a few of the 120 libraries that previously existed in Timbuktu and the surrounding areas. The manuscripts housed in Timbuktu's libraries document all aspects of daily life and cover all aspects of human endeavor. As a historical source, the Timbuktu manuscripts have proven particularly valuable due to their detailed historical documents. Over one million objects have been preserved through the library system, most of which are found in Sokoto, Nigeria . The complete extent of the collections is not known, however, as many documents and artifacts were hidden after colonialists removed complete libraries to Paris , London and other parts of Europe. It is believed that there are still many hidden libraries that have not been discovered.

Timbuktu as a Mythical City Tales of Timbuktu's fabulous wealth helped prompt European exploration of the west coast of Africa. Exploration of Timbuktu was often motivated by outrageous tales of wealth that glossed over the reality of the city and cemented its reputation as a mythical land of wealth. Among the earliest descriptions of Timbuktu are those of Leo Africanus and Shabeni. Leo Africanus Leo Africanus is possibly the most famous author to describe life in the fabled city of Timbuktu. He first came to the city in 1512, while the Songhai Empire was at its peak and exercised control over the city. He described the wealth of the city thus: The rich king of Tombuto hath many plates and sceptres of gold, some whereof weigh 1300 pounds... He hath always 3000 horsemen... (and) a great store of doctors, judges, priests, and other learned men, that are bountifully maintained at the king's expense. [2] Shabeni Shabeni visited Timbuktu as a 14 year old around 1787 with his father.

Raised in Tetuan to become a merchant, he was captured and spent his adult life in England . A version of his story is related by James Grey Jackson in his book An Account of Timbuctoo and Hausa, 1820: On the east side of the city of Timbuctoo, there is a large forest, in which are a great many elephants. The timber here is very large. The trees on the outside of the forest are remarkable...they are of such a size that the largest cannot be girded by two men. They bear a kind of berry about the size of a walnut, in clusters consisting of from ten to twenty berries. Shabeeny cannot say what is the extent of this forest, but it is very large. Decline of Timbuktu The decline of Timbuktu began with the influx of Portuguese traders, who undercut the importance of Timbuktu on the Niger River by using the mouth of the river as a trading location. The destruction of Timbuktu was cemented with the invasion of Morisco mercenaries armed with European-style guns in the service of the Moroccan sultan in 1591. The military invasion was the final blow to an already deteriorating nation.

Timbuktu today Street Scene - Children A typical street scene in Timbuktu, with omnipresent bread-baking ovens. Despite its history of auspicious wealth, modern day Timbuktu is a deeply impoverished city. While the city offers few economic attractions, it still attracts visitors based on its mythical status and fabled existence. The image of the city as mysterious or mythical has survived to the present day in other countries: a poll among young Britons in 2006 found 34 percent did not believe the town existed, while the other 66 percent considered it "a mythical place". [3] The city continues to face political threats, however, and in the 1990s it came under attack from Tuareg people hoping to build their own state. The Tuareg Rebellion symbolically ended in 1996 with a burning of weapons in the city. Timbuktu is a UNESCO World Heritage Site , listed since 1988. In 1990, it was added to the list of world heritage sites in danger due to the threat of desert sands and desertification. A program was set up to preserve the historical sites of Timbuktu.

In 2005, it was taken off the list of endangered sites. Timbuktu was a major stop on Henry Louis Gates' PBS special "Wonders of the African World." After visiting with the curators of the Mamma Haidara Library and the Cultural Mission of Mali, he was instrumental in obtaining funding (from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation) to finance the construction of the library's facilities, later inspiring the work of the Timbuktu Manuscripts Project. Timbuktu is home to an institute dedicated to preserving historic documents from the region, in addition to two small museums (one of them the house in which the great German explorer Heinrich Barth spent six months in 1853-54), and the symbolic Flame of Peace monument commemorating the reconciliation between the Tuareg and the government of Mali . Attractions Timbuktu's main attractions are the intellectual and religious centers that have existed in the cities for centuries. The most prominent of the Islamic sites are the proliferate mud mosques , which are said to have inspired Antoni Gaudí.

These include: Djinguereber Mosque, built in 1327 by El Saheli Sankore Mosque, also known as Sankore University, built in the early fifteenth century Sidi Yahya mosque, built in the 1441 by Mohamed Naddah. Other attractions include a museum , terraced gardens and a water tower. Language The main language of Timbuktu is Koyra Chiini, a variety of Songhai languages spoken by over 80 percent of its residents. Some smaller population groups speak Hassaniya Arabic and Tamashek. Famous people connected with Timbuktu Ali Farka Toure (1939–2006) Born in Timbuktu. [4] Heinrich Barth (1821-1865) German traveler and scholar and the first European to investigate into African history. Bernard Peter de Neumann, GM (1917–1972) "The Man From Timbuctoo." [5] Held prisoner of war there along with other members of the crew of the Criton during 1941-1942.

Sister cities Street Scene with Sankore Mosque Street Scene BBC NEWS | Africa | Timbuktu - city of legends Monday, 15 April, 2002, 15:07 GMT 16:07 UK Timbuktu - city of legends Camel caravans used to carry gold across the Sahara By the BBC's Joan Baxter Timbuktu, northern Mali The fabled city of Timbuktu is not a myth - it does indeed exist - in northern Mali, on the edge of the Sahara desert. These days, it pretty much lives up to its reputation as "the end of the world" but once upon a time, it was the centre of important trade routes. Muslim merchants took gold north from West Africa to Europe and the Middle East and returned with salt and other goods. This trade made the city enormously wealthy - legend has it that the lavish golden gifts dished out in 14th century Cairo by Kankan Moussa, Emperor of the ancient state of Mali, caused the price of gold to crash. At the time, salt was worth as much as gold, pound for pound, in Timbuktu.

Tales of the city's riches were spread by the Muslim traders and European explorers who heard them dreamt of making their fortunes many times over. But Timbuktu was also a great Islamic centre and non-Muslims - such as the explorers - were banned, adding greatly to the mystique which quickly grew up around the city - and which still exists to this day. But during the 16th and 17th centuries, trade switched to the Atlantic Ocean and the so-called "City of 333 saints" began its long descent. Sand dunes Today, it is a desolate and impoverished town - renowned for its heat, isolation and sand dunes. God may turn it all around again, and Timbuktu will once again find its rightful place Chirfi Alpha Sane, historian The governor of the region complains that the only roads to the north are treacherous sandy tracks, where banditry is common. Despite a new airport in Timbuktu, flights regularly fail to materialise, stranding passengers for days.

Most trade is done with neighbouring Mauritania rather than southern Mali, and crowded riverboats from Mopti take days to reach the port on the River Niger that serves Timbuktu, 10km from the town itself. Still, thousands of determined visitors from every continent do make their way to Timbuktu each year. Saints With precious few other employment opportunities, hundreds of teenage boys in Timbuktu have turned themselves into guides. Boasting nicknames such as Ali Baba George Washington, the young guides offer tourists whatever they have come to look for in Timbuktu. There is the standard tour of the historical landmarks of the ancient city, with fanciful tales of how former French presidents ensured their re-election by consulting with powerful saints and the holy men or "marabouts" who claim to represent them. Timbuktu hosts a collection of ancient Islamic manuscripts And if the clients so wish, as the guides say they sometimes do, there can also be a discreet, romantic adventure under the desert sky on the sand dunes that surround the holy Islamic town. And they wax lyrical - in smatterings of every language from Chinese to Swedish to gangster-rap English - about Timbuktu "the mysterious".

Even if the town has fallen on difficult times, Timbuktu still holds many mysteries and marvels for visitors and also for those who live there. The Sankore University, whose 50,000 Muslim scholars helped spread Islam across West Africa, is still functioning, albeit with reduced numbers of just 15,000. Cybercafe The impressive Jingereber mosque, built from mud in 1325 AD, is also still standing. And there is the Ahmed Baba Centre, with its fantastic collection of manuscripts that capture more than a millennium of Islamic scholarship and scientific knowledge. Some say Timbuktu is Mali's melting pot Local cultures - Songhrai, Tuareg, Arab and Moor - have intermingled, but retained their distinct traditions. In the town's only cybercafe, young women wearing demure indigo veils hammer away on computers, using the internet to communicate with family members who have left for other continents. Despite the recent years of fighting that pitted ethnic Songhrai against Tuaregs, Timbuktu still has an impressive population of philosophers and Islamic scholars who maintain the city is a symbol of peace.

Astronomy Chirfi Alpha Sane, an archivist in the Ahmed Baba Centre in Timbuktu, says there are lessons for the entire world in the 20,000 ancient Arabic manuscripts in the centre - some of which date back to the second century. "There is everything here. "Islamic law with lessons for peace through dialogue, as well as science, astronomy, medicine. Timbuktu is one of the richest cities in Africa Ismael Diadie Haidara, philosopher "In Timbuktu these scholars said that gold came from the south, salt came from the north, money came from the lands of the white men, but they believed that wisdom and the word of God were to be found only in Timbuktu. "That wisdom is here, in these manuscripts." Mr Sane is a member of the Action Committee for the North, an organisation that denounces the Malian Government's "neglect" of Timbuktu and the desert north. But he is philosophical about the future of the ancient city: "In the Middle Ages this was almost the centre of the world.

"Then one day God turned it all around and many people started viewing Timbuktu as the end of the world. "One day God may turn it all around again, and Timbuktu will once again find its rightful place and regain its glory." Co-existence Timbuktu philosopher and historian, Ismael Diadie Haidara, points out that Timbuktu, which was inhabited by Muslims, Christians and Jews for hundreds of years, has always been a centre of religious and racial tolerance. For many years, he has been struggling to raise funds to preserve 3,000 ancient manuscripts in his library that detail the co-existence in Timbuktu of Muslims, Jews and Christians. He himself is directly descended from Spanish forefathers with Christian origins who converted to Islam and fled to the Niger Valley in 1468 and later intermarried with African Muslims and Hebrew merchants. The ancient city and its people have fallen on hard times Mr Haidara says he is one of 1,000 Malians today who can claim in his ancestry Christian, Muslim and Jewish blood: "All three groups co-existed peacefully in Timbuktu up until the end of the 19th century.

"If today Timbuktu is one of the poorest cities in Mali, and Mali one of the poorest countries in Africa, it is also a city that shows the way of the future - tolerance and co-existence. "In this way, I think Timbuktu is one of the richest cities in Africa." See also: Timbuktuheritage.org - History of Timbuktu - A Multicultural African Legacy timbuktuheritage.org History of Timbuktu - A Multicultural African Legacy Most people think of Timbuktu as the remotest place on earth. Others even think of Timbuktu as being a legend or place which existed only in people’s imagination. Timbuktu is located in the present day Republic of Mali at the edge of the Sahara desert. Timbuktu was founded by the Tuareg Imashagan or Kel Tamasheq in the 11th century. The Kel Tamasheq roamed the desert during the rainy season in search of grazing lands for their herds and camels. During the dry season, however, they camped a few miles from the Niger river in search of water and grass for their live stock.

Whenever the desert becomes green, the Turareg will leave their heavy goods with an old Tamasheq women called Tin Abutut who shortly thereafter became a warehouse or a depot for commercial goods transiting from the desert. The city of Timbuktu has taken its name from this famous black lady. The historic town of Timbuktu is located at the precise point where the Niger flows northward into the southern edge of the Sahara desert. As a result of its unique geographical position, Timbuktu has been a natural meeting point of Songhai, Wangara, Fulani, Tuareg and Arabs. According to the inhabitants of Timbuktu, gold came from the south, the salt from the north and Divine knowledge from Timbuktu. Timbuktu is also the cross-road where the camel met the canoe. It is to this privilege position that the city owes much of its historical dynamism. From the 11th century and onward, Timbuktu became an important port where goods from West Africa and North Africa were traded. Goods coming the Mediterranean shores and salt were traded in Timbuktu for gold. The prosperity of the city attracted African and Arabs who were both scholars and merchants.

This unique combination of scholarship and business were the cornerstones that made Timbuktu a city of wealth and truth and therefore a booming desert port. Salt, books and gold were the main commodities that were traded in Timbuktu. Salt was extracted from the mines of Tegaza and Taoudenit in the north, gold from the immense gold mines of the Boure and Banbuk and books were the refined work of black and Arabs scholars. Timbuktu flourished as a result of its strategic position. It is here in Timbuktu that African merchants from Djenne traded with the Kel Tamasheq nomads and the Arabs from the north. The Kel Tamasheq and the Jenne Merchants were the first settlers of Timbuktu. The Adobe structure of the houses in Timbuktu was the product of African and Arabs architecture. Trade and knowledge were at their height. The capture and destruction of the empire of Ghana by the king of Sosso cause a mass exodus of scholars from Walata to Timbuktu. By the 12th century, Timbuktu became a celebrated center of Islamic learning and a commercial establishment.

Timbuktu had a university with three main renown departments and 180 Quranic schools. These are the department of Sankore, the department of Jingaray Ber and the department of Sidi Yahya. This was the golden age of Africa. Books were not only written in Timbuktu, but they were also imported and copied there. There was an advanced local book copying industry in the city. The universities and private libraries contained unparalleled scholarly works. The famous scholar of Timbuktu Ahmad Baba who was among those deported to Morocco said that his library of 1600 books had been plundered, and his library, according to him, was one of the smaller in the city. Timbuktu was a veritable melting pot and hub of knowledge and commerce. The city welcomed everyone. On April 20th 1628, the French explorer Rene Caille reached the legendary city of Timbuktu. Rene Caille used to say about Timbuktu: “ When I enter this mysterious city, I was overwhelmed by an incredible feeling of satisfaction, I had never felt such a feeling before in my life and my joy was extreme.” The German explorer Henry Barth had a similar experience.

Today, the city is still welcoming visitors from faraway lands. The travelers have said that Timbuktu is the Rome of the Sudan, the Athena of Africa and the Mecca of the Sahara. To sum it up, Timbuktu was the city of Divine light, the city of knowledge, the city of trade an the city of hospitality. The booming economy of Timbuktu attracted the attention of the Emperor of Mali, Mansa Mussa also known as Kan Kan Mussa. He captured the city in 1325. As a Muslim, Mansa Mussa was impressed with the Islamic legacy of Timbuktu. On his return from Mecca, Mans Mussa brought with him an Egyptian architect by the name of Abu Es Haq Es Saheli. The architect was paid 200 kg of gold to built Jingaray Ber or the Friday prayers Mosque. Mansa Musa also built a royal palace or Madugu in Timbuktu. In addition, the Emperor invited Arabs scholars to Timbuktu. To his great surprise, the Emperor realized that these scholars were unqualified to engage in debates with the black scholars of Timbuktu.

Abd Arahman Atimmi, for example, who though of himself as being an Arab scholar realized that he had such an inferior academic knowledge compared to Timbuktu’s scholars that he decided to migrate to Marrakech to complete his prerequisites so he can sit in the classes as a student. Mansa Mussa pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324 had made Mali known worldwide. The Emperor took with him 12 tones of pure gold and a large caravan of 60,000 men on horses and camels. He had so much gold with him that when he stopped in Egypt, the Egyptian currency lost its value and as result the name of Mali and Timbuktu appeared on the 14th century world map. His brother Abu Bakar the II decided to find a way by the Atlantic ocean to go to Mecca. Abu Bakar and his maritime expedition left the shores of Senegal and sailed in the Atlantic Ocean. They encountered so much difficulties and challenges that they came back to Senegal. Abu Bakar reorganized his expedition, took enough provisions and a huge army with him. This expedition has never been seen again.

Today, there is a strong historical evidence pointing to the possibility that this Malian prince was the first one to discover America. In Brazil for instance, their is a presence of the mandinka language, traditions and customs. In 1339, The Mossi king invaded Timbuktu. The Mossi caused a lot of corruption, killing and destruction in the city. The Mandika dynasty, however, succeeded in repulsing the invaders. Timbuktu remained under the protection of the descendants of Mansa Musa until 1434 when the Tuareg under the leadership of Akil Akamalwal invaded and captured the city. Akil was very pious. He respected the Ulemas or scholars. Akil reappointed Mohammad Naddi, a Sanhaja Tuareg as the governor of the city. When Mohammad Naddi died, Akil appointed his oldest son Umar to take his place. The Tuareg, later on, however, spread so much injustice, corruption and tyranny, that Umar ibn Mohammad Naddi, the new governor of Timbuktu sought the help of Soni Ali Ber, ruler of the Songhai Empire with his base in Gao.

In 1469, Soni Ali conquered the city of Timbuktu. Akil fled the city. Soni Ali put to death so many scholars that most them fled to Walata which is the actual Republic of Mauritania. This is the reason why many of the manuscripts of Timbuktu are found in Mauritania today. One of the generals of Soni Ali who is a devout Muslim by the name of Askia Mohammad could not tolerate the tragic treatment Soni inflicted on the Ulemas or scholars of Timbuktu. The Prince of the Songhai Askia Mohammad overthrew Soni Ali in 1493. Askia Mohammad recomforted the scholars, financially rehabilitated them and stood by them. In fact for all Islamic legal rulings on how to run the state, Askia Mohammad turned to these scholars. There are manuscripts in Timbuktu today where the answers to the questions of Askia are recorded. Under the Askia dynasty, Timbuktu prospered both intellectually and trade wise until 1591 when the Moroccan army under the leadership of Pasha Mahmud ibn Zarqun sacked the city of Timbuktu.

The Moroccan army plundered the wealth of the city, burned the libraries, put to death many scholars who resisted them and deported many to Fez and Marrakech including the eminent scholar of Timbuktu Ahmed Baba Es Sudane, meaning Ahmed Baba the black as he is preferred to be called. The scholars of Timbuktu were righteous, devout and were not afraid of anything accept Allah, the Most High. It was in this context that when Pasha Mahmud tried to deceive the scholars by having them sign a treacherous treaty, the black eminent scholar and fearless professor of Sidi Yahya University, Mohammad Bagayogo objected and told the Pasha: “ I would rather have you cut my hand up to the shoulder than to bear a false testimony.” A lot of manuscripts left the city of Timbuktu under the Moroccan invasion to find their way to Fez and Marrakech. In 1893, with the colonization of West Africa by France, Timbuktu was brought under the French rule until in 1960 when Mali became independent. Many of the manuscripts of Timbuktu are in the museums and universities of France.

Question: Timbucktoo is in which country?
Answer: Mali