Must Visit Sites in Zimbabwe

The Republic of Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the continent of Africa, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east.

The country boasts several major tourist attractions including wildlife conservation sites; the largest sheet of falling water in the world; unusual geological formations and a number of ancient ruined cities unusual in the rest of Africa. There are four places in the country that are inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Great Zimbabwe 

The country of Zimbabwe was named after the hundreds of stone ruins spread across the high plateau region of Africa called Zimbabwe. The Great Zimbabwe or “stone buildings” is set apart from the hundreds of small ruins. It’s the name given to the 7.22 sq km (2.78 sq mi) buildings near the town of Masvingo.

In the Shona dialect, the name Zimbabwe is translated in different ways including: “venerated houses,” “the great big house or big house built of stone builders,” “ritual seat of a king,” or “home or grave of the chief.”

Started during the 11th century by the Bantu-speaking ancestors of the Shona people, Great Zimbabwe was built for more than 300 years. The ruins are some of the oldest and largest structures in Southern Africa. They are known as the Hill Complex (used as a temple), the Valley Complex (for the citizens) and the famous Great Enclosure (2nd picture here) with more than 300 structures were used by the king.

During the Medieval period, the Great Zimbabwe was one of the most significant civilizations in the world. Evidence shows that the settlement was an important trading and political center but nobody knows why the site was eventually abandoned.

Today, the site is but a shell of what it once was, as much of its wealth was vandalized through the centuries by European explorers, treasure hunters, souvenirs seekers and plunderers such as Richard Hall and Ian Smith who both falsified Great Zimbabwe’s origin. Artifacts were either destroyed or taken away and sent to various museums throughout Europe, America and South Africa. Additional damage to the ruins still continues to this day as tourists climb the walls for thrills and to find souvenirs.