The Historical City of Hamdallaye

The site of Hamdallaye, which means “praise to God”, is located about 32 kilometers south of the town of Mopti, bordering the Dogon Plateau and the Inner Niger Delta.

Its foundation dates from 1819–1821 and is attributed to Seku Amadu, a Fulbe shepherd, who founded the Massina Empire after having a prophetic dream and made Hamdallaye its capital. Immediately after its creation, Hamdallaye became the symbol of the revival of Islam in West Africa.

It was home to the great mosque, in the center of the city, thought to have been the first building erected following the city’s foundation. This simple building, devoid of a minaret or ostentatious decoration, could hold around 3,000 worshipers.

At its peak, Hamdallaye was fully fortified by a 5,600m-long perimeter battlement built from mud bricks and had around 60 districts with an estimated population of 300,000 inhabitants. There are thought to have been around 750 Koranic schools supervised by renowned scholars.

The decline of Hamdallaye began in 1862 when the city was captured by Omar Saidou Tall, who lived there for two years.

Despite its destruction, the site retains its historical interest and is the resting place of Seku Amadu and his descendants; every year it welcomes hundreds of visitors on ziyarat or religious pilgrimages.