Architecture of Somalia
Somali architecture
is the
engineering
and
designing
of multiple different
construction
types such as stone cities,
castles
,
citadels
,
fortresses
,
mosques
,
temples
,
aqueducts
,
lighthouses
, towers and
tombs
during the ancient,
medieval
and
early modern
periods in
Somalia
and other regions inhabited by Somalis, as well as the fusion of Somalo-Islamic architecture with Western designs in
contemporary
times.
Ancient
[
edit
]
Walled settlements, temples and tombs
[
edit
]
Ancient ruins of
Abasa, Awdal
Some of the oldest known structures in the territory of modern-day Somalia consist of burial
cairns
(
taalo
).
[1]
Although found throughout the country and the larger
Horn of Africa
region,
Somalia
in particular is home to numerous such archaeological structures, with many similar edifices found at
Haylan
,
Qa’ableh
,
Qombo'ul
,
El Ayo
,
Damo
,
Maydh
and
Heis
among other towns. However, many of these ancient structures have yet to be properly explored, a process which would help shed further light on local history and facilitate their preservation for posterity.
[1]
Houses were constructed of
dressed stone
similar to the ones in
Ancient Egypt
.
[2]
There are also examples of
courtyards
and large stone walls enclosing settlements, such as the
Wargaade Wall
.
Pyramidal tomb of the Patron "Flying Saint"
Awbube
Near
Bosaso
, at the end of the Baladi valley, lies a 2?3 km (1.2?1.9 mi) long
earthwork
.
[1]
[3]
Local tradition recounts that the massive embankment marks the grave of a community matriarch. It is the largest such structure in the wider Horn region.
[3]
In addition, old temples situated in the northwestern town of
Sheekh
are reportedly similar to those in the
Deccan Plateau
in the
Indian subcontinent
.
[4]
There also exist several ancient
necropolises
in Somalia. One such structured area is found on the country's northeastern tip, in the
Hafun peninsula
.
[5]
Old house built using
stone masonry
in
Amud
,
Somaliland
Booco
in the
Aluula District
contains a number of ancient structures. Two of these are enclosed platform monuments set together, which are surrounded by small
stone circles
. The circles of stone are believed to mark associated graves.
[6]
Mudun
is situated in the Wadi valley of the
Iskushuban District
. The area features a number of ruins, which local tradition holds belong to an ancient, large town. Among the old structures are around 2,000 tombs, which possess high towers and are dome-shaped.
[1]
[3]
Port Dunford
in the southern
Lower Juba
province contains a number of ancient ruins, including several
pillar tombs
. Prior to its collapse, one these structures' pillars stood 11 meters (36 ft) high from the ground, making it the tallest tower of its kind in the wider region.
[7]
The site is believed to correspond with the ancient emporium of
Nikon
, which is described in the 1st century CE Greco-Roman travelogue the
Periplus of the Erythraean Sea
.
[8]
In the southern town of
Hannassa
, ruins of houses with archways and
courtyards
have been found along with other pillar tombs, including a rare octagonal tomb.
[9]
Additionally, various pillar tombs exist in the southeastern Marca area. Local tradition holds that these were built in the 16th century, when the
Ajuran Sultanate
's
naa'ibs
governed the district.
[10]
Menhirs and dolmens
[
edit
]
On the coastal plain 20 km to
Alula
's east are found ruins of an ancient monument in a platform style. The structure is formed by a rectangular
dry stone
wall that is low in height; the space in between is filled with rubble and manually covered with small stones. Relatively large standing stones are also positioned on the edifice's corners. Near the platform are graves, which are outlined in stones. 24 m by 17 m in dimension, the structure is the largest of a string of ancient platform and enclosed platform monuments exclusive to far northeastern Somalia.
[11]
Around 200 stone monuments (
taalos
) are found in the northeastern
Botiala
site, most of which consist of
cairns
. The bigger cairns are covered in shingles and tend to be more sturdily constructed. There are a number of rows of standing stones (
menhirs
) on the eastern side of the structures, which are similar to those at
Salweyn
, a great cairn-held situated close to
Heis
. Besides cairns, the Botiala area also features a few other drystone monuments. These include disc monuments with circular, ground-level features, as well as low, rectangular platform monuments.
[12]
The northern town of Aw Barkhadle, named in honour of the 13th century scholar and saint
Yusuf bin Ahmad al-Kawneyn
(Aw Barkhadle), is surrounded by a number of ancient structures. Among these are menhirs, burial mounds, and
dolmens
.
[13]
Stelae
[
edit
]
Near the ancient northwestern town of
Amud
, whenever an old site had the prefix
Aw
in its name (such as the ruins of
Awbare
and
Awbube
[14]
), it denoted the final resting place of a local saint.
[15]
Surveys by A.T. Curle in 1934 on several of these important ruined cities recovered various
artefacts
, such as
pottery
and
coins
, which point to a medieval period of activity at the tail end of the
Adal Sultanate
's reign.
[14]
Among these settlements, Aw Barkhadle is surrounded by a number of ancient
stelae
.
[13]
Burial sites near
Burao
likewise feature old stelae.
[16]
Medieval
[
edit
]
Ruins of the
Sultanate of Adal
in
Zeila
The introduction of
Islam
in the early medieval era of Somalia's history brought
Islamic architectural influences
from the
Arabian Peninsula
and
Persia
. This stimulated a shift from drystone and other related materials in construction to coral stone,
sundried bricks
, and the widespread use of
limestone
in Somali architecture. Many of the new architectural designs such as mosques were built on the ruins of older structures, a practice that would continue over and over again throughout the following centuries.
[17]
Stone cities
[
edit
]
Whitewashed
coral stone city of
Merca
The lucrative
commercial networks
of successive medieval
Somali
kingdoms
and
city-states
such as the
Adal Sultanate
,
Sultanate of Mogadishu
,
Ajuran Sultanate
, and the
Sultanate of the Geledi
saw the establishment of several dozen stone cities in the interior of Somalia as well as the coastal regions.
Ibn Battuta
visiting
Mogadishu
in the early 14th century called it a town
endless in size
[18]
and
Vasco Da Gama
who passed by Mogadishu in the 15th century noted that it was a large city with houses of four or five storeys high and big palaces in its centre.
[19]
Somali merchants were an integral part of a long distance caravan trade network connecting major Somali cities, such as
Mogadishu
,
Merca
,
Zeila
,
Berbera
,
Bulhar
and
Barawa
, with other business centers in the Horn of Africa. The numerous ruined and abandoned towns throughout the interior of Somalia can be explained as the remains of a once booming inland trade dating back to the medieval period.
[20]
The interior cities of
Amud
and
Abasa
which flourished in the 15th century contained over 200 stone buildings of multiple stories and up to four rooms. The scattered ruins of the site cover an area of approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) in circumference.
[21]
Goan Bogame
, situated in the
Las Anod District
, contains the ruins of a large ancient city with around two hundred buildings. The structures were built in an architectural style similar to that of the edifices in Mogadishu's old Hamar Weine and Shangani districts.
[1]
[3]
Citadels and city walls
[
edit
]
The
Citadel
of
Gondershe
City walls
were established around the coastal cities of Merca,
Barawa
and Mogadishu to defend the cities against powers such as the
Portuguese Empire
. During the
Adal Age
, many of the inland cities such as
Amud
and
Abasa
in the northern part of Somalia were built on hills high above
sea level
with large defensive stone walls enclosing them. The Bardera
militants
during their struggle with the Geledi Sultanate had their main headquarters in the walled city of
Bardera
that was reinforced by a large fortress overseeing the
Jubba
river. In the early 19th century the citadel of Bardera was sacked by
Sultan
Yusuf Mahamud Ibrahim
and the city became a
ghost town
.
Somali city walls also acted as a barrier against the proliferation of
arms
usually carried by the Somali and Horn African
nomads
entering the cities with their
caravan trains
. They had to leave behind their weapons at the
city gate
before they could enter the markets with their goods and trade with the urban
Somalis
,
Middle Easterners
and
Asian
merchants
.
[22]
Mosques and shrines
[
edit
]
c.1600s mosque in
Hafun
, Somalia
Concordant with the ancient presence of Islam in the Horn of Africa region, mosques in Somalia are some of the oldest on the entire continent. One architectural feature distributing Somali mosques from other African mosques were
minarets
.
13th century
Fakr ad-Din mosque
built by Fakr ad-Din, the first Sultan of the
Mogadishu Sultanate
For centuries,
Arba'a Rukun
(1269), the Friday mosque of
Merca
(1609) and
Fakr ad-Din
(1269) were the only mosques in East Africa to have minarets.
[23]
[24]
Arba Rukun's massive round coral tower of about 13.5 meters (44 ft) high and over 4 meters (13 ft) in diameter at its base has a doorway that is narrow and surrounded by a multiple ordered recessed arch, which may be the first example of the recessed arch that was to become a prototype for the local mihrab style.
Constructed by and named after the first Sultan of the Mogadishu Sultanate, the Fakr-ad Din mosque dates back to the 1269. Built with
marble
and
coral
stone
on a compact rectangular plan, it features a domed
mihrab
(indicator of the direction of Mecca). Glazed tiles were also used in the decoration of the mihrab, one of which bears a dated inscription. In addition, the masjid is characterized by a system of composite beams, alongside two main columns. This well-planned, sophisticated design is not replicated in mosques further south outside the Horn region.
[25]
The 13th century
Al Gami University
consisted of a rectangular base with a large cylindrical tower architecturally unique in the
Islamic world
.
Almnara Tower in Mogadishu
Shrines
erected to house and honor Somali
patriarchs
and forefathers evolved from ancient Somali burial customs. Such tombs, which are predominantly found in northern Somalia (the suggested point of origin of the Somalia's majority Somali ethnic group), feature structures mainly consisting of
domes
and square plans.
[26]
In southern Somalia, the preferred medieval shrine architecture was the
pillar tomb
-style.
A number of ancient burial sites dated from the pre-Islamic period sit atop the peak of
Buur Heybe
, a granitic inselberg in the southern Doi belt. They serve as a center of annual pilgrimage (
siyaro
). These burial sites on the mountain's summit were later made into Muslim holy sites in the ensuing Islamic period, including the Owol Qaasing (derived from the Arabic "Abul Qaasim", one of the names of
Muhammad
) and
Sheikh Abdulqadir al-Jilaani
(named for the founder of the
Qadiriyya
order).
[27]
Towers and lighthouses
[
edit
]
Somalia's historical strategic location within the world's oldest and busiest
sealanes
encouraged the construction of
lighthouses
to co-ordinate shipping and to ensure the safe entrance of commercial vessels in the nation's many
port cities
. In times of weak central authority the
Somali civilizational
matrix of interior cities and port cities was based on a clan formula that saw various clans in fierce competition over natural resources that led to chronic feuding between neighbours. Towers provided the merchant class and the urban population protection against potential raids from the nomadic regions.
Stone towers
such as the 15th century Almnara tower in Mogadishu and the Jamia tower of Merca were also built for defence.
Early modern era
[
edit
]
Qalcads
[
edit
]
19th century
castle town
of
Qandala
The early modern or colonial period saw a continuation in the use of materials such as coral stone,
sundried bricks
and
limestone
in Somali architecture which with the increasing European influence on the Somali peninsula was now being complemented by new construction materials such as
cement
. The period was characterised by
military architecture
in the form of multi-purpose forts, and the construction of new ports. The
Sultans
of
Aluula
in the northern part of the country and the
Geledi Sultanate
in the south were at their peak during this period, and many of the castles, palaces and forts found in various Somali cities originate from that era.
19th century Martello fort in
Berbera
constructed by
Haji Sharmarke Ali Saleh
Throughout the
medieval
era, castles and fortresses known as
Qalcads
were built by Somali
Sultans
for protection against both foreign and domestic threats. The major medieval Somali power engaging in castle building was the
Ajuran Sultanate
, and many of the hundreds of ruined fortifications dotting the landscapes of Somalia today are attributed to Ajuran
engineers
.
[28]
In the year 1845, Haji Sharmarke Ali Saleh seized
Berbera
, constructed four
Martello
style forts within the vicinity of the town, and garrisoned each fort with thirty
matchlock
men.
[29]
Ruins of the
Majeerteen Sultanate
King
Osman Mahamuud
's castle in
Bargal
, built in 1878
Dhulbahante garesas
[
edit
]
Aerial view of Diiriye Guure's
Dhulbahante garesa
fort in
Taleh
, the capital of his
Dervish State
In the Sayid's description of the fall of Taleh in February 1920, in an April 1920 letter transcribed from the original Arabic script into Italian by the incumbent
Governatori della Somalia
, the various Darawiish-built installations are described as
garesas
taken from the Dhulbahante clan by the British:
[30]
[31]
i Dulbohanta nella maggior parte si sono arresi agli inglesi e han loro consegnato ventisette garese (case) ricolme di fucili, munizioni e danaro.
|
the Dhulbahante surrendered for the most part to the British and handed twenty-seven
garesas
(houses) full of guns, ammunition and money over to them.
|
The
Dar Ilalo
stone towers though initially constructed to defend the fortress of
Taleex
were also used as
granaries
for the
Dervish State
.
The
Dervish State
in the late 19th century and early 20th century was another prolific fortress building power in the
Somali Peninsula
. In 1909, after the British withdrawal to the coast, the permanent capital and headquarters of the Dervishes was constructed at
Taleh
, a large walled town with fourteen fortresses. The main fortress,
Silsilat
, included a walled garden and a guard house. It became the residence of Diiriye Guure, his wives, family, prominent Somali military leaders, and also hosted several
Turkish
,
Yemeni
and German
dignitaries
, architects,
masons
and
arms
manufacturers
.
[32]
Several dozen other Dhulbahante garesas were built in
Illig
,
Eyl
,
Shimbiris
and other parts of the
Horn of Africa
.
1990s to present
[
edit
]
In the modern period, several Somali cities such as
Mogadishu
,
Hargeisa
and
Garowe
received large projects, which saw construction in new styles that harmoniously blended in with the existing old architecture.
Guardafui Lighthouse
Due to
Italian
influence, parts of Mogadishu are built in the
classical style
: from the
Villa Somalia
(official residency of the presidents of Somalia) to the
Governor's Palace of Mogadishu
and the "Fiat Boero" building there are many examples of this architecture, that was developed when
Mogadishu was under Italian rule
.
Other areas of Somalia show the Italian influence, like in the famous lighthouse in Guardafui cape.
The Somali government continued upon that legacy, while also opening the door to
German
,
American
and
Chinese
designers.
As a departure from the prevailing Somali architectural style, the
National Theatre
in Mogadishu was completely built from a Chinese perspective. The town-hall was constructed in the
Moroccan style
. Much of the new architecture also continued upon ancient tradition, the
Al-Uruba Hotel
, the pre-eminent hotel in Somalia and an iconic feature of Mogadishu's waterfront was entirely designed and constructed by Somalis in the
Arabesque
style.
In recent times, due to the civil war and the subsequent decentralization, many cities across the country have rapidly developed into urban hubs and have adopted their own architectural styles independently.
In the cities of
Mogadishu
,
Hargeisa
,
Berbera
and
Bosaso
, construction firms have built hotels, government facilities, airports and residential neighborhoods in a
modernist style
, often utilizing
chrome
,
steel
and
glass
materials.
-
-
-
-
Residential building in
Garowe
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
Hodd, Michael (1994).
East African Handbook
. Trade & Travel Publications. p. 640.
ISBN
978-0-8442-8983-0
.
- ^
Man, God and Civilization pg 216
- ^
a
b
c
d
Ali, Ismail Mohamed (1970).
Somalia Today: General Information
. Ministry of Information and National Guidance, Somali Democratic Republic. p. 295.
- ^
Pease, Alfred E. (1898).
"Some account of Somaliland: With Notes on Journeys Through the Gadabursi and Western Ogaden countries, 1896?1897"
.
Scottish Geographical Magazine
.
14
(2): 57?73.
doi
:
10.1080/00369229808732974
.
- ^
National Review (1965).
Somalia Calling the World
. p. 25.
- ^
Somali Studies International Association, Hussein Mohamed Adam, Charles Lee Geshekter (ed.) (1992).
The Proceedings of the First International Congress of Somali Studies
. Scholars Press. pp. 37 & 40.
ISBN
978-0891306580
. Retrieved
9 November
2014
.
CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
link
)
- ^
Hussein Mohamed Adam, Charles Lee Geshekter (ed.) (1992).
The Proceedings of the First International Congress of Somali Studies
. Scholars Press. p. 106.
ISBN
978-0891306580
. Retrieved
1 November
2014
.
- ^
Mokhtar, G. (1990).
Ancient Civilizations of Africa
.
University of California Press
. p. 311.
ISBN
978-0520066977
. Retrieved
1 November
2014
.
- ^
Sanseverino, Hilary Costa (1983). "Archaeological Remains on the Southern Somali Coast".
Azania: Archaeological Research in Africa
.
18
(1): 151?164.
doi
:
10.1080/00672708309511319
.
- ^
Cassanelli, Lee V. (1982).
The Shaping of Somali Society: Reconstructing the History of a Pastoral People, 1600 to 1900
.
University of Pennsylvania Press
. p. 97.
ISBN
978-0812278323
. Retrieved
16 January
2015
.
- ^
Chittick, Neville (1975).
An Archaeological Reconnaissance of the Horn: The British-Somali Expedition
. pp. 117?133.
- ^
Chittick, Neville (1984).
Newsletter of the Society of Africanist Archaeologists, Issues 24-32
. Department of Archaeology, University of Calgary
. Retrieved
4 September
2014
.
- ^
a
b
Briggs, Phillip (2012).
Somaliland
. Bradt Travel Guides. p. 98.
ISBN
978-1-84162-371-9
.
- ^
a
b
Lewis, I.M. (1998).
Saints and Somalis: Popular Islam in a Clan-based Society
. The Red Sea Press. p. 90.
ISBN
978-1-56902-103-3
.
- ^
G.W.B. Huntingford, "The Town of Amud, Somalia",
Azania
,
13
(1978), p. 184
- ^
"National Museums"
. Somali Heritage and Archaeology
. Retrieved
13 October
2013
.
- ^
Mohamed Diriye Abdullahi,
Culture and Customs of Somalia
, (Greenwood Press: 2001), p.102.
- ^
The Archaeology of Islam in Sub Saharan Africa pg 62
- ^
Da Gama's First Voyage pg.88
- ^
Shaping of Somali Society - Lee Cassanelli pg.149
- ^
Briggs, Philip (2012).
Somaliland: with the overland route from Addis Ababa via eastern Ethiopia
(1st ed.). Bradt Travel Guides.
ISBN
9781784776053
.
The house are scattered around without any apparent plan; there are no streets and no trace of a surrounding wall. There is a mosque in the southern half of the dwelling area... [with a] rather oddly built mihrab facing the entrance... and immediately to the south... is the cemetery. There are upwards of two hundred houses, all well-built of stone [and] as much as 2.6m in height... The number of rooms ranges from two to four... there is sometimes no sign of an entrance to the inner rooms. This implies that entry was made from the roof, which was doubtless flat and reached by teps now vanished... There are many niches or cupboards in the inner walls.
- ^
Tales which persist on the Tongue - Scott S. Reese pg 4
- ^
Studies in Islamic history and civilization By David Ayalon pg 370
- ^
Asghar, Ajaz.
"Medieval to Postmodern Somali architecture and the incorporation of local elements and styles through the ages ? Architects77"
. Retrieved
2019-12-04
.
- ^
Peter S. Garlake,
Early art and architecture of Africa
, (Oxford University Press US: 2002), p.176.
- ^
Mohamed Diriye Abdullahi,
Culture and Customs of Somalia
, (Greenwood Press: 2001), p.8.
- ^
Mukhtar, Mohamed Haji (2003).
Historical Dictionary of Somalia
. Scarecrow Press. p. 60.
ISBN
978-0810866041
. Retrieved
23 August
2014
.
- ^
Shaping of Somali Society pg 101
- ^
Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society, 1849, Volume 8, p. 185
.
- ^
Ferro e Fuoco in Somalia, da Francesco Saverio Caroselli, Rome, 1931; p. 272.
- ^
Ciise, Jaamac (1976).
Taariikhdii daraawiishta iyo Sayid Maxamed Cabdulle Xasan
.
Per tal fatto ci siamo sabandati e non c'e ' stato piu ' accordo fra di noi : i Dulbohanta nella maggior parte si sono arresi agli inglesi c han loro consegnato ventisette garese case ) ricolme di fucili , munizioni e danaro .
- ^
Taleh W. A. MacFadyen The Geographical Journal, Vol. 78, No. 2 (Aug., 1931), pp. 125-128
|
---|
Sovereign states
| |
---|
States with limited
recognition
| |
---|
Dependencies and
other territories
| |
---|
|
---|
Styles
| |
---|
Elements
| Materials
| | |
---|
Arches
| |
---|
Roofs
| |
---|
Religious
objects
| |
---|
Decorations
| |
---|
Rooms
| |
---|
Gardens
| |
---|
Outdoor
objects
| |
---|
Passive
cooling
| |
---|
|
---|
Types
| Religious
| |
---|
Civilian
| |
---|
Military
| |
---|
|
---|
Resources
| |
---|
Influences
| |
---|
Category pages
| |
---|
|
|
---|
|
BCE
| |
---|
1st millennium
| |
---|
1000?1500
| |
---|
1500?1750
| |
---|
1750?1900
| |
---|
1900?1950
| |
---|
1950?2000
| |
---|
2000?present
| |
---|
Regional
| |
---|