|
|
Great Zimbabwe |
During the 11th century an incredible kingdom arose in Southern Africa. It was known as Great Zimbabwe. What makes this kingdom special are the massive stone walls built to protect around it. Construction of the stone buildings lasted for 300 years. Great Zimbabwe is not alone however. There are 200 places in South Africa with such advanced stone structures but Great Zimbabwe is the largest. The ruins of the Kingdom and it's stone walls survive to this day and cover an area of 1,800 acres. The walls also stand about 36 feet tall and stretches for about 820 feet. At the height of its power Great Zimbabwe had 18,000 inhabitants. Europeans first visited the area in the late 19th century and started studying the site in 1871. It is implied that it may have declined in the 1450s perhaps due to lack of trade and was eventually abandoned.
