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Great Zimbabwe Ruins

Masvingo, Zimbabwe

Great Zimbabwe’ refers to the Great Zimbabwe Ruins (stone buildings) found spread across the beautiful landscapes of Zimbabwe near the town of Masvingo. Previously known as ‘Fort Victoria’, Masvingo remains a popular Zimbabwean area to visit on a holiday or safari. The ‘great ruins’ are the biggest collection of ruins in Zimbabwe and are therefore referred to as the “Great” Zimbabwe Ruins…

It is believed that the Great Zimbabwe Ruins may hold the key to the mystery of the lost civilization of ancient Africa. The famous ruins, approximately 30 km from Masvingo are the country's premier national monument. Judging by the ancient iron tools, ceramics, pottery, gold and carvings discovered in the ruins, it covers about 720 hectares with its huge granite walls, conical towers and fortresses. Guided tours are run daily through the Great Zimbabwe Ruins. There is museum nearby that holds the archaeological artefacts that have been recovered. It is believed that the Great Zimbabwe Ruins took over 300 years to create in the early 11th Century and housed over 18000 people. Enjoy a historic journey during your visit, feel the past and investigate the ancient times.

The Great Zimbabwe Ruins are a veritable sea of fascinating rock formations and this complex set of ruins is one of the country's greatest historical and cultural attractions covering almost 1800 acres. The Great Zimbabwe Ruins were built by the Shona cattlemen and became a National Monument, earning world-wide recognition; it was declared by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1986.

This National Monument comprises of the largest single ancient structure south of the Sahara and stands as a focus for debate on how and by whom it was actually built by. There is a lot of mystery as well as theories of whether or not the ruins were created internally (developed by Africans) or if it was designed and developed through an outside influence… Either way, all of the archaeologists and historians agree that they are of great significance to the history of Zimbabwe and studying them may still hold many more answers. However, the one thing that no-one will ever know is why the ruins were abandoned...

Perched on an open wooded plain surrounded by hills, the Great Ruins of Zimbabwe cover the vast Great Enclosure complex. On the nearby Hill Complex sits an amazing castle of interlocking walls and granite boulders, surrounded by a valley of walls – this aptly describes what you can see on a tour of the Great Ruins of Zimbabwe. Discover the feature of an array of chevron, herringbone and many other intricate patterns in its walls. The most fascinating feature is their age; they have been around for as long as seven centuries, despite the fact that the dry-stone application was set up without a mortar been used to bind the stone blocks!

Have a look at our Zimbabwe safaris ... There are also other Zimbabwe attractions  you might want to visit on your Zimbabwe Safari.

 

 

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