Castles, forts and other ancient Somali structures

[Hamzza]

Somali huts in hobyo cariish&Aqal

 

[Clllam]

, Muqdishu. This is probably a misattribution but the internet tells me it’s apparently the palace of the Muzzafars, or what was left of it, the same people who replaced the Fakhrudiins around the 1400s

 

[𐒁𐒚𐒒𐒂𐒘𐒂𐒗 𐒎𐒚𐒗𐒗𐒒]

Remains of the Sultanate of Hobyo Fort in Gaalkacyo

 

[𐒁𐒚𐒒𐒂𐒘𐒂𐒗 𐒎𐒚𐒗𐒗𐒒]

The Qandala Castle (Majeerteenia) wasn't bombed by the Italians thankfully and is still standing.
With just a little repair work, it can be turned into a museum or something.

 

[Hamzza]

One of the forts of bosaso
The photo was taken in 1889

 

[Hamzza]

The fort of garoowe built by sayid mohamed abdulle hassan according to my sources

 

[Hamzza]

Bender ziada(QAW)

 

[Hamzza]

Baardheere citadel in the 1800s.

The eastern gate of bardheere
Bardheere was a walled town in the interior of somalia.

 

[Hamzza]

masjid jamaca bardheere

 

[Shimbiris]

View attachment 221497masjid jamaca bardheere

It's really interesting how from north to south there seems to be this same architectural style. There's always this sort of crenellating/crowning of the buildings (especially along the corners) alongside whitewashing. Compare this masjid to this old surviving Laasqoray masjid all the way in Sanaag:

 

[SuldaanCali]

It seems that most modern Somali forts in North & Central were bulit by Yemeni carpenters. There's 100s of such similar forts built from late 18th century to 20th century primarily by autonomous Harti & Isaaq communities, Hobyo & Majeerteen Sultanate, Cali Sharmaarke & Daraawish. Majeerteen sultanate had over 40+ costal forts in 1925 & more innland & Daraawiish built forts as far as Iimeey & Beledweyn.

I even heard Cali Majeerteen bulit one in Sool where Cumar Maxamuud & Dhulo fought!

@Al-Ma'mun Do u know how many forts Isaaqs had? know they had in the coast, but what ab innland?

 

[Dima&Damo]

It seems that most modern Somali forts in North & Central were bulit by Yemeni carpenters. There's 100s of such similar forts built from late 18th century to 20th century primarily by autonomous Harti & Isaaq communities, Hobyo & Majeerteen Sultanate, Cali Sharmaarke & Daraawish. Majeerteen sultanate had over 40+ costal forts in 1925 & more innland & Daraawiish built forts as far as Iimeey & Beledweyn.

I even heard Cali Majeerteen bulit one in Sool where Cumar Maxamuud & Dhulo fought!

@Al-Ma'mun Do u know how many forts Isaaqs had? know they had in the coast, but what ab innland?

Yemeni carpenter only built for the daarawish not the boqortoyo

 

[SuldaanCali]

Yemeni carpenter only built for the daarawish not the boqortoyo

Not true, there were colonial eye witnesses of this. Maybe some were native built, but they definitely used South Yemeni carpenter

 

[Hamzza]

Somalis, Sahos, Bejas, Afars, Tigre (Ethiosemitized Beja), Rendille and even the South Cushitic pastoralists all used it. The latter even spread it to KhoiKhoi people in South Africa:

Are Tigre xabashised beja?

 

[Hamzza]

Somali huts

 

[Hamzza]

Xamar

 

[MT Foxtrot]

Mosque in Kismayo:

 

[Dima&Damo]

Garowe

 

[jalapeno]

AHMED TAAJIR'S HOUSE, IN RUINS, LOCATION: BOSASO

 

[MT Foxtrot]

Xamar Weyne:

In Xamar Weyne. Tower in central distance is part of Jama Mosque. It is visible in 19th century maps of Mogadishu.