Zimbabwe

Great Zimbabwe 3D

Great Zimbabwe

Welcome to Zimbabwe! Great Zimbabwe is a huge ancient city made of stacked stone walls, built by skilled builders hundreds of years ago — so impressive that the whole country is named after it.

Why is it famous?

It's one of the largest and oldest stone structures ever built in sub-Saharan Africa.

Its walls were built entirely by stacking cut stone blocks together — no mud or cement was used to hold them up.

How was it built?

Skilled builders shaped granite stones by hand and stacked them so precisely that many walls still stand today.

The city grew over hundreds of years into a major center for trade, with goods arriving from as far away as China and Persia.

Quick facts

  • Some walls are over 36 feet tall and 16 feet thick at the base.
  • The name "Zimbabwe" comes from a Shona phrase meaning "great stone houses."
  • At its height, thousands of people may have lived in and around the city.