Madagascar as a country is fast becoming one of the top destinations for everyone who wants to for a safari and this is all because of the unique things that are found in the country from the national parks, birding, culture ,landmarks and many more and historical sites are one of them. The rich history of Madagascar from the colonial times is one that you will want to experience first-hand especially since it comes with the evidence of the various colonial buildings that are scattered all over the country from the both the French and the British.
Madagascar is also filled with a lot of ethnic groups that give you a road trip as you get to know more about their cultures. It is believed that Madagascar had no life when it became an island apart from the animals and plants but when the trade started at the East African coast by the Arabs, this became their stop point for the various traders and this is how the different ethnic groups came to be in the same area and these include the Arabs, the Indians, Africans, Malaysians and Indonesians.
The different inter marriages that occurred before created a diversity on the Island and with the coming of the French colonialists, the country increased on its cultural diversity. The people in Madagascar speak Malagasy as their local language and their official language became French.
Madagascar is known to have a lot of tourist attraction sites to see and some of these include historical sites. Historical sites in Madagascar mostly portray the colonial era, the wonderful culture portrayed by the Malagasy people and some of these include the following:
The Soarano train station
The Soarano train station was constructed during the colonial time and it was one of the main transport means that was used at that time. The rail station was the major one in the capital city although at the moment it is rare to see anyone passing through it and at the moment it is being used for mostly commercial purposes. You can visit it to see the old ways and how the old station looks like at the moment and get to see the enormous building that was once where the ticket were sold and where everyone waited for the train.
The queen’s palace
The las queen of Madagascar was known to be extravagant and she was the first person to actually fight against the French colonialists until she lost. When you compare her palace to the king’s palace, the queen’s palace is nothing when you compare the both of them and yet they are within a walkable distance from each other. The queen’s palace is located on the highest hill in Antananarivo and it was constructed by a German architect who made it a unique site for all those who go to visit the area. The palace is filled with glasses everywhere and you get to see your reflection in every room that you enter in.
This was a home to many royals of Madagascar and all these have been buried in the graves that are found on the royal hill. There are various other small buildings that are next to the palace and this gives it an authentic look as compared to the its surrounding and the beautiful history that can be seen in the place and the stories that are told by the tour guides are worth the visit.
The Andafiavaratra palace
The Andafiavaratra palace was owned by the prime minister of Madagascar during the colonial times and it is located in a place that was originally owned by the British. The palace was constructed like a British palace and it has very large rooms inside which are decorated in a pink color with various wall hangings showing the different wall hangings of various Madagascar leaders and a tour around the Palace will give you chance to get to know some good history about the country.
The Trano Gasy houses
The Trano Gasy houses were constructed during the Queen Ranavalona II’s regime and they were houses for the missionaries. The Gasy houses were constructed like boxes all stacked in one place and this same style was copied by the various locals and to this date you can get to see the boxed houses in the villages. They are mostly grass thatched and they give off a beauty that cannot be seen during the modern times in the county. Visit the original Trano Gasy to see the original housing and marvel at their uniqueness.
The Andohalo cathedral
The Andohalo cathedral is located in Madagascar and is one of the historical sites that you can get to see when you visit the country. The cathedral was constructed during the French colonial era and it almost looks like the Notre Dame in France. If you cannot afford to travel to France then this is one way to see a replica of the cathedral but a bit smaller than the Notre Dame. The marble that was used to decorate the inside of the church is also another thing that you do not want to miss. Therefore visit Madagascar to get a glimpse of the Andohalo Cathedral.
The Ambohimanga hill
The Ambohimanga hill was made a UNESCO heritage because it is the only one that has remained in the country. It was constructed by the Melina ethnic group and this is the last one that is still standing. If you want to look at one of the best pre- colonial housing in Madagascar that was constructed uniquely by the Melina highlanders then this is your perfect opportunity.
The L’Avenue de I ‘independence
This is located in the capital city of Antananarivo the capital city of Madagascar. Market places are found in this area and on either side of the L’Avenue de L’ Independence street you will find well decorated colonial houses that will remind you or show you of the colonial times and for those that did not experience it, you will get to know the colonialists lived and also get a chance to buy some merchandize from the meat and produce dream.
There are also stair cases where you get to rest but this can only be done in the evening since during the day it always seems crowded and you get to carry a picnic basket as you try view the colonial houses on either side.
The Hotel de Ville
The hotel de Ville was constructed in 2009 and it was constructed in the same exact spot where the 1972 protests happened leading to the burning of the town hall that year. Although the town hall was burned down, the Hotel de Ville still gives off the town hall beauty in the way it was built. You can visit it any time of the day but you need to be extremely careful about your property as it may be pick pocketed by anyone due to the large crowds found in the area.
The Ambohitsorohitra
The Ambohitsorohitra was formerly the palace where the president of Madagascar used to stay. During the 2009 coup, the army invaded the Palace and no one is staying there to date. The army attacked the presidential palace because they actually wanted to topple the president and when the president escaped from the palace, it became kind of a museum since the army had promised to attack it again if he came back to the same place and that is why the president no longer resides here because the army promised to come back and raid in case he ever started living there again The Palace is now just for show and they have started giving tourists and locals a tour around the Palace.
The Mahandrihono Palace
The Mahandrihono palace was constructed by the Madagascar king and it was meant for his children. Within the stone walls of the Palace, you will find several other small houses where each child to king used to live so that he could easily monitor them and avoid a coup to his kingdom.
The king was an extremely polygamous man and he had a lot of children and that was why he ended up building the Mahandrihono palace so that all his children could live in the same compound and be easily monitored.
The historical sites in the country might not be so many but when you look at them, you will be able to know more about Madagascar through old buildings, stories told by the different people that you will find in the country. And after exploring the historical sites that can be found in the country, you will also get a chance to visit other tourist attraction sites that can be found in the close vicinities with the sites.
And if you want to see all these historical sites in Madagascar, you just need to contact us and we will be able to arrange everything for you from transportation to accommodation.