THE FACT that Djenné also known as the city of mud, has been declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO (in 1988) is due to two main reasons: its mosque and its market.

Djenné is a single city, but it often seems like two very different places. Depending on the time of year, it can seem like a dense and heavy city in the desert; however during the rainy season it rises like an island from the waters of the Rivers Bani, a tributary of the Niger, which flows over the plain forming a wide, fertile delta.

Little now is left of this ancient city which, in former times, was filled with traders, soldiers and scholars dedicated to spreading the teachings of Island. But there is something in Djenné that still survives in its former spot, albeit with a slightly different appearance: the sensuous Djenné Mosque. The sinuous silhouette of the mosque, built from a mixture of straw, clay and oil in a style of architecture known as mud-brick or adobe, rises like a mirage above the shimmering desert. The entire city is built from mud- brick, but next to the simplicity of the huts and houses, the temple takes on a dreamlike magnificence. And perhaps this is not surprising, given that according to the beliefs of the Bari, a wise caste of master builders who were responsible for the construction of not designed; they are dreamed.

Barely one hundred years old, the modern-day mosque was built on the site of a former building thought to have dated from the 13th century. The construction we see today can be said to be the work of all the inhabitants of Djenné, since it is they who, every year, repair the damage caused by the torrential downpours during the rainy season with their bare hands.

The narrows, shady streets of this city of traders and scholars harbour yet another great, not-so-secret treasure: its market.

Every Monday, opposite the mosque, a magnificent spectacle unfolds that is a genuine treat for all five senses. Traders from all the ethnic group in the area congregate here to peddle their wares, brought laboriously to the city on the backs of hundreds of burden, which themselves further contribute to the intense hustle and bustle in the market square. Among the many different stand you can find and, of course, buy, all kinds of food, vegetables, fresh and smoked fish, jewellery made from silver, bronze and gold, traditional medicinal herbs and a wide variety of perfumes, oil and ointments. It is a true feast of colours, smell and flavours, all set against the magnificent backdrop of a mud-brick mosque that is guaranteed to delight and fascinate.

Just a few kilometres from Djeené, archaeologists have uncovered the site of ancient Jenné-Jeno, thought by many to be the oldest city in Africa (250 AD) and about which still very little is known. Currently, only a few archaeological fragments are on display, although those that are, are well worth a visit.

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