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Sankore Mosque


History


The Sankore mosque and Islamic school was built on the site of the ancient University of Timbuktu. Built from 1325 – 1433, this once vast centre of learning now houses thousands of manuscripts from that era. The mosque takes its name from the neighbourhood, which means the quartier of the masters. Legend has it that the mosque was constructed in part to protect those manuscripts from pillagers when various empires took over Timbuktu. The university mosque was also listed on the threatened world heritage sites since 1989.

Description


Details

Location

Binke Bus Station, Timbuktu, Mali

Year of Build

1433

Drawings

Map

History

The Sankore mosque and Islamic school was built on the site of the ancient University of Timbuktu. Built from 1325 – 1433, this once vast centre of learning now houses thousands of manuscripts from that era. The mosque takes its name from the neighbourhood, which means the quartier of the masters. Legend has it that the mosque was constructed in part to protect those manuscripts from pillagers when various empires took over Timbuktu. The university mosque was also listed on the threatened world heritage sites since 1989.

Description