Ambohimanga

Ambohimanga, a hill topped by a royal city of the same name, is located approximately 24 kilometers to the east of the capital city of Antananarivo and is considered the most significant symbol of the cultural identity of the people of Madagascar. The site consists of a walled historic village including residences and burial sites of several key members of the royalty of the Merina people, the ethnic community that rose to power in the 19th century and ruled much of the island as the Kingdom of Madagascar, a modern state under its administrative authority. The site, one of the twelve sacred hills of Imerina, is associated with strong feelings of national identity and has maintained its spiritual and sacred character both in ritual practice and the popular imagination for the past 500 years. It remains a place of worship to which pilgrims come from Madagascar and elsewhere. The compound was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2001.