Djenné facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Djenné
Commune and town
Street market and the Great Mosque of Djenné
Djenné Location in Mali
Country	Mali
Region	Mopti Region
Cercle	Djenné Cercle
Area
• Total	302 km2 (117 sq mi)
Elevation	278 m (912 ft)
Population  (2009)
• Total	32,944
• Density	109.09/km2 (282.5/sq mi)

Djenné (also called Djénné or Jenne) is a historic town in central Mali, a country in West Africa. It is located in the Inland Niger Delta region, near the Bani River. Djenné is known for its unique buildings made of mud, especially the famous Great Mosque.

The town is an important administrative center. It is the main town of the Djenné area, which is part of the Mopti Region. In 2009, Djenné and its ten nearby villages had a population of 32,944 people. Djenné, along with an ancient site called Djenné-Djenno, became a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1988.

History of Djenné

The story of Djenné is closely connected to the famous city of Timbuktu. For many years, from the 1400s to the 1600s, Djenné was a very busy trading hub. Many valuable goods, like salt and gold, passed through Djenné on their way to and from Timbuktu. This trade was part of the larger trans-Saharan trade network that crossed the Sahara Desert.

Both Djenné and Timbuktu also became important places for Islamic learning. Scholars and students came to these cities to study. However, when the Portuguese started setting up trading posts along the African coast, the old desert trade routes became less important. This caused Djenné's importance as a trading center to decline.

Amazing Architecture

Djenné is famous for its special style of building, known as adobe architecture. This means buildings are made from sun-dried mud bricks. The most well-known example is the Great Mosque of Djenné. The current mosque was built in 1907 on the site of an even older mosque.

The buildings in Djenné have a distinct look, with tall, impressive walls and pointed towers. Many houses feature beautiful designs on their fronts. This unique mud-brick style helps keep the buildings cool in the hot climate.

Djenné-Djenno: An Ancient Site

Just south of Djenné is an archaeological site called Djenné-Djenno. This site is very important because it is one of the oldest known towns in sub-Saharan Africa. People lived there as early as 250 BC. Studying Djenné-Djenno helps us understand how ancient communities in this part of Africa lived and developed.

Images for kids

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  Passenger vehicles on the Bani River ferry near Djenné.

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  Houses in Djenné with Toucouleur-style façades from a postcard by Edmond Fortier published in 1906.

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  A street scene in Djenné from Timbuctoo: the Mysterious by Félix Dubois published in 1896.

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  A house in Djenné from Timbuctoo: the Mysterious by Félix Dubois published in 1896.

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  Sudanese-style buildings in the city

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  Market in Djenné.

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  Classic earth-brick house

See also

In Spanish: Djenné para niños