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Our guide found us eating at the restaurant, and I was tired and skeptical, but his pleasant and not-so-pushy manner sold me. I knew that I needed a guide for the Djenne Villages the next afternoon. Without a good guide, it's hard to find your way around outside the city walls. Also, it helps to have a scooter. Nothing fancy is needed, but something a little faster than walking will help. While my wife rested in the hotel, I jumped on the back of the scooter found by the guide and we took off. Bring some change to tip for the photos you take of villagers. The guide can help smooth over any cultural mistakes you make.
Written Aug 18, 2005
Address: Djenne Villages are a long walk from town
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There is no other way to go to Djénné than to cross the Bani. Djénné is on a small island. During the dry season, you can cross at places where the water is not too deep. DUring the raining season, you definitively need to take the local ferry.
Written May 29, 2005
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Djénné is a town made of banco. The mosk is the most beautifull and biggest building in Banco of the world.
Banco is made of earth and clay and demands a special technic known by the local masons from centuries.
This construction demands a lot of maintenance, and once a year all the masons of the town repair the final coat of the moask. If they don't, it will take less than three years for the weather to fully destroy the construction.
Note: it is not possible to go inside if you are not a Muslim
The wooden parts that you can see on top of all these buildings is left by the constructors for maintenance, in order to re-coat the top parts of the building.
Written May 29, 2005
Address: centre of Djénné
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Do you see my T-shirt?
It accompanies me all over the world and I only wear it front of one or two of the most beautiful things in the country I visit.
This way, I can say Arno( famous Belgian blues singer) has seen the most splendid monuments in the world although he doesn't know it up to now
Updated May 2, 2004
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I didn't know whether to put this under The Local Customs section or under The Animals section or under Must See Activties section.
Judge for yourself.
I found it quite amazing.
Was the man walking his dog (sorry, goat) or was he going to the market to sell it?
We'll never know.
One thing's for sure, in the evening I ate chicken...
Updated May 2, 2004
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This is a very nice and typical mud brick house.
There's a covered entrance to keep you out of the rain.
There are coloured windows upstairs (why not downstairs, I don't know).
There are stakes on the roof to replaster the house after the yearly rainseason.
Updated May 2, 2004
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A medrassa is like a school where they teach the Qu'ran.
Apparently it was the children's playtime so that they enjoyed a game of table football.
By the way, Mali people are football crazy.. They even had the Africa Cup ashortly after I was there
Updated May 2, 2004
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It's 5 p.m. and everybody's leaving home.
(Every year after the rainseason the villagers replaster the world's largest mud structure . The wooden stakes sticking out from the sides enable workers to climb up the massive building during the restoration process.
It's on the Unesco World Heritage List)
Written Mar 23, 2004
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The mosque of Djenne is one of the most known places from Mali. Its style is Sudanese, and it is built on the territory of king's house.
It is made of mud, but it seems made of chocolate. Once a year all the people from the city work on it's maintenance.
La mezquita de Djenne es uno de los lugares mýs conocidos de Mali. Es de estilo sudanesa y estý construida en el territorio de la casa de un antiguo rey
Esta hecha de barro, pero parece chocolate. Una vez al aýo todo el pueblo ayuda a su reconstruccion
Updated Feb 10, 2004
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The market takes place every Monday and it?s an show for your eyes. Plenty of colours and smells everywhere and a crowd of people trying to sell and buy the big variety of products exposed to your eyes. The square where is placed the mosque turns into a completely different scenery compared to some other day of the week.
El mercado tiene lugar cada lunes y es un completo espectýculo para los ojos del turista. Millones de colores y olores y una multitud de gente intentando vender y comprar todos los tipos de productos que alli se exponen. La plaza de la mezquita se vuelve en un escenario completamente distinto comparado con cualquier otro dia de la semana
Updated Jan 12, 2004
Reviews and photos of Djenne attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Djenne sightseeing.
The market takes place every Monday and it?s an show for your eyes. Plenty of colours and smells everywhere and a crowd of people trying to sell and buy the big...
Our members can help!
1
I've got some interesting experiences in Djenne. I'd love to share with you the 19 tips I've written, the 20 photos uploaded, and 0 travelogues I've created.
2
Djenne is a Market Town with a Great Mud Mosque
For the world, the world's largest mud building is certainly the attraction here. But, the building wouldn't have been so grand if Djenne were not also a great market town. The Mosque itself is barely...
3
Nice city for sure. It has been listed in Unesco’s World Heritage. The mosque (first built in 1280) is fantastic. There are nice pieces of architecture everywhere. The market (on monday) is considered...
4
Djenne is situated on an island in the Bani river. The entire city is a UNESCO world heritage site, as the city is almost entirely built of mud. The most famous building in Djenne is for sure the...
5
Djenne is included on the list of the Unesco, patrimony of the humanity. They can not build any house made of cement without asking to the Unesco, so it is more or less like it was a long, long time...
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