Ambohimanga

Ambohimanga is one of those places I probably wouldn't have bothered to visit if it weren't a WHS. But I'm very glad I did because, the visit, combined with a visit to the Queen's Palace in Tana, gave me a much better understanding of Madagascar's pre-colonial history. I had a private driver to take me to the Royal Hill of Ambohimanga, about an hour outside of Tana. It's not a huge site, you can spend about an hour there. One there, I picked up a guide at the entrance who spoke very good english. She was very informative. After a brief overview of the fortress from the ceremonial courtyard, and the large sacrificial stone where zebu were sacrificed, we proceeded inside the complex. One of the most interesting buildings is the King's Palace, which was the house of King Andrianampoinimerina who reigned 1787-1810. It's a very modest wooden house. Inside, my guide did a nice job of explaining the various implements on display, as well as explaining the sleeping arrangements, and how the king's bed was always in the one corner, and higher up than where his wife would sleep. He (and subsequent rulers here) didn't rule all of Madagascar, but they did unify many kingdoms in the center/east and established 12 royal residences on nearby hilltops, including the Queen's Palace in Antananarivo. There's also a Queen's palace here at Ambohimanga, a more European looking wooden structure that was the house of Queen Ranavalona I. There's a bit of evidence …

The Royal Hill of Ambohimanga is a fortified hill with great historical and symbolic value for the people of Madagascar. It is a wonderful site to visit as it is in good condition and has so many layers: the first unified Malagasy kingdom, the start of its interaction with the outside world just before colonial times, and a contemporary place of worship. I spent 3 hours there on a guided tour of the palace complex and a forest walk.

Although it lies only 20km away from the Madagascar capital Antananarivo, it will take the best part of an hour to get there by car. Leaving the busy city center is the hardest, after that, a fine drive along the rice paddies follows. Ambohimanga is one of many hills in this area. From viewpoints, you can also see the tomb of the King’s astrologer on the adjacent, slightly higher hill. Also, there are the remains of a palace in between these two hills. The astrologer’s hill is a popular place for local worship, the only way to get there is to walk up.

We started the visit to Ambohimanga after entering via the Royal Gate. Local nobility started using this hilltop from the 15th century on, but most of what you now see dates from the early 19th century. The Malagasy royals were a promiscuous bunch, the guide told stories about the Queen that had all her lovers killed or the Prime Minister that ended up marrying three of …

a visit to the royal palace compound of Ambohimanga will give you a perfect introduction to the Malagasy history and its an easy half day excursion from the capital.The first impression are the huge fig trees at the ceremonial courtyard.this is still a sacred place for Malagasy people and

rituals take place on a daily basis.During the reign of the kings, mainly brown checkered Zebu cows were brought to the royal stables as offerings..nowadays its more on chicken, I was told. Once inside the royal compound, you will be shown the wooden house of the great king Andrianampoinimerina who.. reigned from 1787 to 1810.His majesty used to sleep much higher up than his 12 wifes who had to share one bed on those special days that they all came together to the royal palace from the neighbouring 12 hills. I was also told by the guide that High land people used to be much smaller at that time as there was more Asian than African influence.Therefore the 12 queens could share one single bed!Next to the kings house stands the summer house of the queens, Ranavalona I. reigned long 33 years and she was using this place as a retreat from Antananarivo where the capital has been moved to.With her was her French lover and architect Jean Laborde who was about the only foreign national admired by the queen, until 1847 when also Laborde was expelled because of his involvement in a plot to replace the queen with her son.Behind …

If you are in Madagascar then, as was ours in April 2000, your prime objective is probably to see Lemur and the other unique ecological aspects of the country . However, the Malagasy history and culture is interesting too having developed from the first immigrants – coming, not from Africa, but some 1500 years ago from the area of present day Indonesia and Malaysia. Meeting the people and seeing their way of life and rituals/ritual objects is also a major plus point for the country.

Ambohimanga, the main “historic site”, is only 20 kms from the capital and should NOT be missed whilst you are there. By the time the British and French vied for control over Madagsacar in the 19th century Madagascar was ruled by a royal line of the Merina clan who came from the highland area around Antananarivo. Ambohimanga was their Palace and later, as Antananarivo became the capital, it in developed as the weekend retreat for the royal family.

The place has a peaceful atmosphere made more poignant by the history of what happened to the royal family who used it. In 1890 the British eventually gave way to the French in return for a free hand in Zanzibar and the French invaded Madagsacar in 1895 eventually deposing the Queen and exiling her to Algeria. The family was never allowed to return by the French.

The compound is beautifully set in green countryside looking over a rice paddy filled plain reaching back to …