Great Zimbabwe

Great Zimbabwe was a large and amazing city in southern Africa. It was built about 900 years ago. The city is famous for its huge stone walls. The walls were built without any cement to hold them together. Great Zimbabwe was the center of a powerful African kingdom.

Stone Walls

The people of Great Zimbabwe built walls out of carefully cut stones. Some walls are more than 30 feet tall. They fit the stones together so well that no mud was needed. The biggest wall is called the Great Enclosure. It is the largest ancient stone building in Africa south of the Sahara.

A Rich Kingdom

Great Zimbabwe was home to about 18,000 people at its peak. The people traded gold, ivory, and copper with faraway places. Items from China and Arabia have been found at the site. The kings lived in the top parts of the city. Great Zimbabwe was abandoned about 600 years ago, and no one is sure exactly why.

Fun Facts

• The country of Zimbabwe is named after this ancient city.
• The word 'zimbabwe' means 'houses of stone' in the Shona language.
• Soapstone bird carvings were found at the site and are now on Zimbabwe's flag.

Did You Know?

For a long time, some people did not believe Africans built Great Zimbabwe, but now we know they definitely did.