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Travel

Great Zimbabwe: The ancient city that tourism forgot

Published 5:01 AM EST, Thu January 15, 2015
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Half a millennium ago, Great Zimbabwe was a powerful religious and trading center. Today it's practically deserted.
Lost city —
Half a millennium ago, Great Zimbabwe was a powerful religious and trading center. Today it's practically deserted.
AFP/Getty Images
At its center, you can find a hill complex where different chambers are linked by a labyrinth of narrow passages.
Labyrinth among the rocks —
At its center, you can find a hill complex where different chambers are linked by a labyrinth of narrow passages.
Griffin Shea
Within the inner walls, a conical tower is the most distinctive landmark in the whole of the ancient city.
Conical tower —
Within the inner walls, a conical tower is the most distinctive landmark in the whole of the ancient city.
Rory Bester
The ancient chambers yielded a set of carved birds that have become important symbols of modern Zimbabwe.
Important discoveries —
The ancient chambers yielded a set of carved birds that have become important symbols of modern Zimbabwe.
Griffin Shea
The stones of Great Zimbabwe were assembled without mortar. Each layer was slightly recessed, creating a slope that held it all together.
Dry stone walls —
The stones of Great Zimbabwe were assembled without mortar. Each layer was slightly recessed, creating a slope that held it all together.
Griffin Shea
With few visitors, monkeys have free rein, occasionally leading to standoffs with travelers.
Monkey standoffs —
With few visitors, monkeys have free rein, occasionally leading to standoffs with travelers.
Griffin Shea
The Great Enclosure is the largest pre-colonial structure south of the Sahara.
Great Enclosure —
The Great Enclosure is the largest pre-colonial structure south of the Sahara.
Rory Bester
The Great Enclosure's walls, seen here in the distance, rise up 36 feet and stretch 820 feet around.
Huge structures —
The Great Enclosure's walls, seen here in the distance, rise up 36 feet and stretch 820 feet around.
Griffin Shea
After hitting rock bottom in 2008, Zimbabwe is experiencing a tourism revival, but visitors have yet to rediscover Great Zimbabwe.
Tourism revival? —
After hitting rock bottom in 2008, Zimbabwe is experiencing a tourism revival, but visitors have yet to rediscover Great Zimbabwe.
Griffin Shea
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