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West Africa
Sankore Mosque
Timbuktu, Mali
A mosque-school among the centers of learning that led the writing movement in West Africa, beside the historic manuscript libraries holding hundreds of thousands of Timbuktu manuscripts.
Story & history
Sankore was Timbuktu's famed university of law, astronomy and mathematics; its manuscripts are still collected and catalogued in the city's libraries, and it is the loveliest of its mud monuments.
Getting there
Pin the site on the map or head straight there with your maps app; opening hours and access vary by season.
Quick facts
- A historic Islamic school
- Center of the Timbuktu manuscripts
- A symbol of learning in West Africa
Visiting tip
Requires historic-context organization with a local guide.