The Ancient Kano City Walls

The Ancient Kano City Walls  were ancient defensive walls built to protect the inhabitants of the ancient city of Kano. Built in the 11th and 12th centuries  and completed in the middle of the 14th century. The Ancient Kano City Walls were described as "'the most impressive monument in West Africa. they are also among of the most interesting examples of ancient fortifications in Africa. Because of the earthen building materials used and the lack of a conservation movement until very recently, the walls of Kano are not nearly as intact as most of the other examples on this list. However, sections are still well preserved, and the walls have been submitted to UNESCO as an important natural and cultural heritage site, the first step in becoming a World Heritage Site. Kano was, and still is, a major stop along the trans-Saharan trade route. The Kurmi Market, first established in the 1400s and still used today, is a living example of the colorful past when goods from all across Northern and Western Africa were traded in its narrow lanes. The Ancient Kano City Walls originally had an estimated height of 30 to 50 ft and about 40 ft thick at the base with 15 gates around it

The Ancient Kano City Walls were built as a defensive wall with the construction of the foundation laid by Sakri Gijimasu (1095–1134), the third king of in the Kano Chronicle. In the mid 14th century during the reign of Zamnagawa, the wall was completed before it was further expanded during the 16th century. According to historians, the then General-Governor of the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria, Fredrick Lugard, wrote in a 1903 report about the Kano Walls that he had “never seen anything like it in Africa” after capturing the ancient city of Kano along with British forces. The Ancient Kano City Walls are made up of Dala Hill where it was founded, Kurmi Market and the Emir’s Palace.