Moroni - capital of Comoros
Moroni, the capital of Comoros, is considered the largest city in the country and also the seat of the government. The full name of this sovereign state is the Union of the Comoros, and indeed, it occupies a number of islands in the Indian Ocean..
From the language of local residents «Moroni» translated very nicely - «the area in the center of the fire». There are several versions explaining this toponym, the closest version to the truth is that the active volcano Kartala is located near the capital..
Capital selection
Scientists date the formation of a settlement on the site of the current capital to the 10th century AD. They also claim that the first inhabitants were Arabs, who not only settled in the territory, but made the settlement the capital of the sultanate. This city was entrusted with the important mission of a transit point, since it lay on the way to distant Zanzibar (now - Tanzania).
Then Moroni lost its significance, in the last century the functions of the administrative center were performed by the city of Dzaoudzi, whose location is the island of Mayotte. But in 1958, Moroni again became the capital of the Union of the Comoros, it still plays an important role as a transit base. It houses an international airport and seaport, which connects the country with the states located on the African continent, Madagascar and other numerous islands of the Indian Ocean..
In the spotlight of tourists
The capital of Comoros is, of course, not the most attractive place from the point of view of travelers. There are interesting places to see here, but not many. Beach holidays are also in their infancy, in the capital itself there are no territories for sun and sea baths..
In the historic center of Moroni, you can find some ancient buildings in the Arabian style, reminiscent of the founders of the city, narrow eastern streets, alleys. The highlight of the Old City is the Friday Mosque, which is also the center of pilgrimage for local Muslims and the main attraction for travelers..
Scholars date the Friday Mosque around 1472, since that time it has faithfully served Muslims with virtually no competitors. The religious building has retained its historical appearance. Its main architectural features are:
- white coral limestone walls;
- arched galleries, built in two tiers;
- carved curb along the perimeter of the roof;
- minaret with a square section with a green dome and a Muslim symbol - a crescent.
The second attraction is the Kartala volcano, which from time to time reminds of itself with eruptions.
