In the heart of Africa, on the edge of the Sahara Desert, a magnificent center of science arose in the 15th century: the Sankore Madrasah. The structure experienced its most glorious golden age in the 16th century, during the reign of Askia Muhammad, the ruler of the Songhai Empire. Its fame crossed continents, drawing the brightest scholars even from Egypt and Syria.
Founded in the 5th century, Timbuktu reached its economic and cultural zenith during the 15th and 16th centuries. Hosting the Sankore Madrasah with its 180 Quranic schools and 25,000 students, the city served as a vital hub for the spread of Islamic culture.
When the scholars of Sankore set out for the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, they would stop in every country they passed through to either teach or acquire new knowledge. Upon their return, they would gather in this courtyard to debate the fresh ideas they brought back from Cairo, Damascus, and Mecca. Despite the desert heat outside reaching up to 45°C, this courtyard remains perpetually cool and airy, thanks to the structure’s special clay soil.
The book trade was at the very heart of intellectual life in Sankore. When the famous traveler Leo Africanus visited the city in 1526, he could not conceal his admiration, writing in his journals: “Here, there are numerous doctors, judges, and scholars generously maintained by the king. Manuscript books brought from North Africa are sold at much higher prices than any other merchandise here, practically flying off the shelves.” Within these madrasah corridors, books were indeed more valuable than gold.
Due to Sankore’s close proximity to the desert, harsh winds and sandstorms constantly erode its mud-brick walls. Consequently, every year, the entire population of the city comes together to replaster the Sankore Madrasah with mud by hand. This magnificent structure, once traversed by kings, scholars, and travelers, continues to stand tall for centuries, entirely preserved by the collective and heartfelt labor of its people.
