Essay:Duce's Hall of Manmade Wonders

I'm pretty damn tired of racists pretending that non-European civilizations never accomplished anything significant or built anything cool. For my own entertainment, I'm documenting some of the most significant architectural achievements in different continents. Plus, I like adding and showcasing ancient architecture pictures. I'll be adding to this every now and then for the foreseeable future.

Africa

North Africa

Giza Necropolis

One of the most famous landmarks in the world today, and the last remaining of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World. Yet dumb conspiracy theorists seem unwilling to accept that these great structures were built by people who lived in Africa, theorizing instead that Egyptians were actually white or were assisted by aliens or whatever. That's a recurring theme that you'll see crop up with many African structures.

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  The Giza Pyramids.

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  Tomb of Queen Khentkaus I.

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  The Great Sphinx.

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  Stela recovered from the tomb of Anch.

Located on the Giza Plateau just outside Cairo, the Giza Necropolis includes the three massive pyramids and subsidiary structures constructed during the Egyptian Old Kingdom. The area was probably constructed as a tomb complex by tens of thousands of workers. About 4,500 years old, these structures are by far the oldest I'll put here.

Karnak Temple Complex

A vast expanse of temples and religious structures near Luxor, Egypt. The Karnak Complex was one of the primary sites of Ancient Egyptian religious life. It's notable both for its intricate ancient decorations as well as its immense size. The complex even includes multiple manmade lakes.

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  Great Hypostyle Hall. Damn, boy, those columns thicc.

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  One of the manmade sacred lakes.

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  Staties of Rameses II at the entrance to Luxor Temple.

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  The Avenue of Sphinxes.

Cairo Citadel

A huge Medieval complex in Cairo, the Citadel area was started by the great Islamic leader Saladin and continued by succeeding Egyptian sultans. There were also later additions and remodelings performed by the Ottoman sultans as well as Muhammad Ali Pasha. It's easily one of the most impressive examples of Medieval war architecture. There are also a bunch of mosques and other landmarks in the area, built by later rulers to add more character to the great city of Cairo.

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  Saladin's Citadel with the Muhammad Ali Mosque in the background.

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  Lion fountain in the citadel gardens.

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  Al-Nasir Muhammad Mosque.

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  Walls constructed during the Ottoman era.

Medina of Marrakesh

Founded around 1070 CE by the Almoravids, Marrakesh was and is the cultural heart of Morocco. The Old City, or the Medina, contains some damn impressive masterpieces of architecture and art. The area is also a nice example of Middle East/North African Medieval city planning and building. I have a big ol' soft spot for nice Islamic architecture, and some great shit can be found in Marrakesh. The Kutubiyya Mosque is, in my view, the second most iconic structure in North Africa right after the Giza Pyramids.

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  The Kutubiyya Mosque.

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  Section of the Walls of Marrakesh.

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  Pavilion in the Menara Gardens.

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  Courtyard of the Ben Youssef Madrasa.

Pyramids of Meroë

Inspired by Egyptian pyramids, black Nubians from the Kushite civilization constructed their own tomb complex starting around 300 BCE. Long after the Egyptians had abandoned such practices, Nubians carried the torch of the pyramids by constructing them across the Sudanese landscape for hundreds of years. Due to Sudan's tumultuous history, these architectural relics have yet to be commercialized. They still stand in the desert as an ancient testament to the perseverance and construction prowess of black Africans.

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  Camel riders visit the pyramids.

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  Design details inside a pyramid chamber.

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  Black Sudanese with their heritage.

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  Aerial view of the complex.

Great Mosque of Djenne

One of the most unique religious structures in the world, the mosque of Djenne was originally built in the 13th Century and then extensively refurbished in 1907. Racists make horrible jokes about Africans and mud huts, but this impressive structure was indeed constructed out of mud bricks mixed with straw and dried in the sun. The resulting building is remarkably durable so long as it receives proper upkeep. The building is still in use for holding thousands of worshipers, and it's been updated with electric lighting and air conditioning. The distinctive sticks jutting out of the structure are both decoration as well as a useful scaffolding for repairs and upkeep.

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  Huge exterior of the mosque.

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  Maintenance workers ensure the structure's upkeep.

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  Local market outside the mosque.

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  A local with some goats outside the mosque.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Rock-hewn Churches of Lalibela

These very cool Ethiopian structures were built around the late-12th to early-13th centuries on the orders of King Gebre Mesqel Lalibela, who wanted to create his own holy city in the style of Jerusalem. They are part of Ethiopia's ancient history as one of the first Christian nations. To construct the churches, the Ethiopians carved them out of solid rock, further chiseling away doors and windows and architectural detailing.

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  House of St. George.

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  House of Abbot Libanos.

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  House of Gabriel Raphael.

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  View of the top of the House of St. George, showing how it was carved from the ground.

Fasil Ghebbi

Fasil Ghebbi, or the "Royal Enclosure", is a fortress located in Gondar, Ethiopia. This castle complex has some very interesting architecture, and it was constructed during the 1600s to serve as the primary residence of Ethiopia's emperors. There are multiple castles here, as well as monasteries and a royal library. These structures contribute greatly to making Ethiopia Africa's second powerhouse of architecture behind Egypt. Also nearby is a grand bathhouse, a type of structure most commonly associated with the Romans.

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  Castle of Emperor Fasilides, who founded the site.

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  The Library of Yohannes I.

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  Palace of Iyasu I.

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  Bathhouse of Fasilides.