9 Architectural Wonders in Africa

For some, Africa has an unfortunate reputation. Outdated stereotypes abound of poverty and people living in mud huts while wild animals walk through the dusty streets.

While mud huts are certainly prevalent in certain parts of the continent, the reality of Africa’s architecture is far more complex. There are buildings that reflect art and innovation that prove the creative skill and scope of the African people.

Here are 9 of Africa’s most incredible architectural wonders.

One of the most famous landmarks in Africa, the Great Mosque of Djenné, has served as a place for Muslim worship for over seven centuries. It represents a style of architecture unique to the region and hearkens back to a time long ago when the immensely wealthy and powerful Malinese Empire stretched across West Africa.

The structure, one of the oldest in Africa, is said to have been built in the 13th century. However, it is unknown whether any of the original structures still exist. Over the centuries, it fell into disrepair, and the current incarnation of the building dates back to 1907 when it was rebuilt.

The Great Mosque is built from mud bricks and covered in plaster. Bundles of palm sticks decorate the facade, jutting about 20 inches from the walls. These sticks, known as toron, also serve as scaffolding for the maintenance of the plaster, which is renewed annually.

The people of Djenné have resisted the urge to modernize the building, forgoing the opportunity to add modern plumbing and electrical wiring. This has drawn widespread support from preservationists who recognize the building’s historical significance.

2. The Basilica of Our Lady of Peace: The Largest Church in the World

Listed as the largest church in the world by Guinness World Records, the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace towers over its surroundings in the city of Yamoussoukro in Côte d’Ivoire. Its status as the largest cathedral is subject to various factors and is certainly an issue with justifiable disputes, but the building is nevertheless spectacular.

The Basilica of Our Lady of Peace, which covers an area of 320,000 square feet and stands 518 feet tall, was built between 1985 and 1989 and was consecrated by Pope John Paul II on September 10, 1990.

Designed by Lebanese architect Pierre Fakhoury, the basilica’s dome is lower than St. Peter’s in Rome but twice the diameter and topped with a larger cross. Heavily inspired by the Vatican, the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace reflects Renaissance and Baroque styles in its architecture.

Despite its splendor, the building has drawn sharp criticism because it cost several hundred million dollars (possibly as high as US $600 million) to build while Côte d’Ivoire was going through a fiscal crisis. The pope only agreed to consecrate the building if a hospital was built nearby.

The biggest stadium in Africa, the FNB Stadium, also known as Soccer City Stadium or by its colloquial nickname, the “Calabash,” is located in the city of Johannesburg. It was built to host the 2010 Soccer World Cup, which was held in South Africa.

Soccer City Stadium hosts more than soccer games. It is also used as a rugby stadium and for many other events, such as rallies and music concerts. It serves as the home to the Kaizer Chiefs F.C., one of South Africa’s most successful clubs in the Premier Soccer League.

Originally built in 1987, the stadium underwent huge renovations in preparation for the 2010 Soccer World Cup. These renovations gave it a unique and iconic design that separates it from its peers and marks it as one of the most recognizable stadiums in the world today.

With a capacity of 94,736, Soccer City Stadium is the 13th largest stadium in the world by attendance capacity and the 7th largest stadium where soccer is played.

The design of the building resembles a large clay pot, hence the “Calabash” nickname. The facade is decorated in a patchwork of earthen colors, and a row of lights around the bottom simulates a fire, making the stadium look like a pot on an open flame.

4. The Pyramids of Giza: Enormous Monuments to Ancient Egypt’s Splendor

Built four and a half millennia ago, the Pyramids of Giza complex is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a landmark that has inspired tourists from all walks of life to explore the wonders of ancient Egypt. The pyramid complex at Giza was named in Hellenistic times as one of the Seven Wonders of the World and is the only one still standing today.

Built of limestone, granite, and mortar, the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the largest of the three main pyramids here, originally stood 481 feet high. However, due to erosion, the removal of the gold capstone at the top, and the white limestone casing, the pyramid now stands 454 feet tall.

Around 2.3 million stone blocks were used in its construction, and the total mass of the Great Pyramid of Khufu is around 6 million tons. For perspective, that’s 12 times heavier than the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building.

For thousands of years, it stood as Africa’s tallest structure until the late 20th century when skyscrapers began to define the city skylines.

Located in the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront in Cape Town, The Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa is an imaginative structure that was constructed from the hollowed-out shells of grain silos.

From an architectural perspective, the building has a unique appearance that makes use of brutalist forms, but from the inside, the true creativity of the architecture is immediately apparent. The cylindrical grain silos, connected side-by-side, were carved out from the inside and resulted in a fascinating design.

The silo section is capped with a section of hardened glass which allows the light to stream in, illuminating the shapes of the carved concrete. So distinctive is the effect that the building draws visitors to experience the architecture as much as the art contained within!

The silos were originally built from 1921 to 1924, and in 2014, renovation began, directed by Thomas Heatherwick of Heatherwick Studios.

6. PSPF Commercial Centre: A New Skyline for Dar es Salaam

As African cities march towards the future, modern buildings are being erected everywhere. Architectural styles invoke the native culture, adding a distinct aesthetic that signifies a rapidly advancing continent.

One such example is the PSPF Commercial Centre in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The center is a twin-tower design, with each tower having 35 floors and standing 501 feet high. Completed in 2014, the towers were opened for business in 2015.

Built by Al Hatmy Design & Engineering, these concrete, glass, and steel icons are home to businesses and residences and are visible for many miles around. They have changed the view of Dar es Salaam, ushering the city into a new era of postmodern African design.

Located 37 miles east of downtown Cairo is the “New Administrative Capital,” an area that encompasses 270 square miles. Work on this project began in 2015 and has seen considerable progress, with most of the construction completed.

The centerpiece of this complex is Iconic Tower, Africa’s tallest building at 1,300 feet and with 77 floors. Although undeniably modern, the design hearkens back thousands of years and is in the shape of a pharaonic obelisk, while the glass exterior represents the crown of the Egyptian god Amun.

While the complex has drawn some negative attention in the form of those who see it as an autocratic vanity project doomed to become a white elephant, there is no denying that it is a work of immense artistic splendor.

8. Hall of Martyrs: An Architectural Masterpiece in Burkina Faso

Undeniably one of Africa’s most distinctive icons, the Hall of Martyrs, also known as the Monument of Heroes, was conceived by revolutionary leader Thomas Sankara in 1987. However, construction on the building only started in 2002, 15 years after Sankara was assassinated.

Serving as the centerpiece for the new district of Ouaga 2000, the surrounding area has yet to be built. Thus, the Monuments des Martyrs stands as a lonely monolith, contrasting with the stark environs.

Memorializing those who perished in Burkina Faso’s revolution, the monument draws attention for its retro-futuristic architectural style, which has a certain African flavor, especially in the off-white, green, and gold colors.

The structure has been likened to the Eiffel Tower, but while the French monument is a lattice of iron beams, the Monument of Martyrs is its own entity constructed of concrete and exuding a far more squat appearance.

The Hikma Complex was the result of a collaboration between architects Mariam Kamara, the founder of Atelier Masōmī, and Yasaman Esmaili of Studio Chahar, and represents cooperation between Niger and Iran, respectively.

The product of this collaboration was the Hikma Religious and Secular Complex, a building wholly unique in its inspirational design. The project’s basis was a former Hausa mosque that had fallen into disrepair.

Repaired, upgraded, and modernized, the Hikma Complex was constructed using ancient materials, compressed earth bricks. The design, however, takes the ancient and turns it into a contemporary work of art with smooth, straight lines that echo a futuristic sentiment.