Bamako - the capital of Mali
Few African cities have more than one million inhabitants. But not the capital of Mali, the beautiful city of Bamako, which will soon celebrate the birth of its two millionth inhabitant. This metropolis has a very convenient location because the Niger flows nearby. Accordingly, there is moisture, hills and forests, which provided the first settlers with building material..
origin of name
The etymology of the origin of the name of the capital of Mali has not been precisely established. Many townspeople tell a beautiful legend about the first person who appeared in these places. The hunter's name was Bamba, he founded a settlement that received his name.
The second legend connects the name of Bamako with the word «bama», which in one of the local dialects means nothing more than «crocodile». And the name is translated, respectively, as «Crocodile river». These formidable animals are also placed on the main official symbol of the state..
Deep in history
Archaeologists claim that the first inhabitants appeared on the territory of modern Bamako in the Paleolithic era, they were nomadic tribes. The settlement was founded only in the 17th century, since people appreciated the good location - the presence of forests for the construction of residential buildings and water for irrigating fields and vegetable gardens.
Most of the inhabitants of the city were engaged in agriculture, growing maize or millet, fishing and fabric dressing were also common. This business was carried out mainly by the sarrocols - the black part of the population. The second large group of urban dwellers had Moorish roots and were mainly involved in the slave trade..
Cultural and natural attractions
The capital of Mali is still a very colorful city; representatives of different nationalities and African peoples who worship different religions live here. It is also called the crossroads of West Africa..
The city has various religious buildings, the most interesting for tourists is the Cathedral Mosque of Bamako. It was built in the center of Mali, earlier on this site there was also a mosque, erected in the era of colonialism. The construction of the new religious building was sponsored by the Saudi Arabian authorities, which is why the style of the mosque is more Saudi than South African. Its beautiful minarets can be seen from almost anywhere in the city; on some days, access to the mosque is allowed for tourists.
