Sudan: Old Dongola
Old Dongola is an ancient town of the medieval kingdom of Nubia on the eastern bank of the Nile in the northern part of Sudan. The town was founded in the 5th century with a large fortress and palace built overlooking the river. A century later Christianity arrived and multiple churches and a monastery were built here as well. The structures reached their heyday around the 9th century but were subsequently destroyed and only rediscovered in the late 20th century. The largest remaining ruins are those of the Throne Hall. There are also many granite columns and some remnants of Christian crosses remaining, surrounded my moving sands of the desert. It’s an atmospheric site, perhaps more important historically then it is impressive visually.
