Even if you stay for a couple of days in the capital of Madagascar, Antananarivo, we suggest you visit some amazing historical places. Locals refer to Antananarivo as “Tana.” This city boasts some historic buildings and monuments. Here we look at the 10 most popular architectural attractions of Antananarivo.
Rova Antananarivo
Rova Antananarivo – the palace, located on the top of the hill, is one of the symbols of the kingdom of Imerina. Inside the royal aviary there is a church and various palaces, including the Queen’s Palace. After a fire in 1995, Rova Palace was rebuilt and still remains a place worth visiting to enjoy breathtaking views of the entire city from above.
Ambatondrafandran Court
This is the royal court of Queen Ranavalon II, commissioned in 1881. Built without walls by James Parré, it was inspired by the Greek Ionic 16-column architecture style.
Palace of the Prime Minister
The Prime Minister’s Palace was built in 1872 by the English architect William Poole and became the replacement of a wooden building, burned to the ground, but later restored in 1976. Currently, there is an exhibition of royal attributes and personal items from the Royal Palace of Rowe Antananarivo, the building of which also burned down.
Andohalo Place
Andohalo Place was the home of the first Zoma market (Friday market). Prior to his inauguration, all official monarchical ceremonies were held in Andohalo. On October 14, 1958, local residents of Malgachi proclaimed themselves the Republic of Malagasy.
Upper city
The upper city is located on a hillside from Farahawhitra to the Royal Palace and is known for its diverse architecture, which combines British and French styles. Carved balconies and red brick houses decorate the slope of the hill with their originality and make it bright and colorful. Also from this place is just an incredibly breathtaking view from the top of the hill.
Anglican Cathedral
An Anglican group of missionaries became the owner of the Ambohimanoro area at the end of the 19th century. The cathedral was built in 1889 under the supervision of the architect Alfred Anker (Norway) and engineer William White (Great Britain). The church was built in the Gothic style.
Andohalo International Church
It was a wooden building until 1892, but later Malagasy architects decided to restore it from red brick. When General Gallieni became governor of the colonial administration in Madagascar in 1897, he became the home of the post office until 1903.
Roman Catholic Cathedral Andohalo
The cathedral was originally a wooden church, but in 1890 it was restored and the building became stone. The cathedral was executed by father Alfons Tykes. When Pope Jean-Paul II arrived in Madagascar in 1989, the church was among the places he visited.
Lutheran Church of Ambatovinaki
Ambatovinaki was the first Lutheran church founded in Antananarivo in 1871. Outside the church, there are several graves of Norwegian missionaries who died in the early years of their stay in Madagascar. It offers breathtaking views of the city.
Ambatonakanga Church
At this site, a wooden building was built by architects James Cameron and William Poole. He received his first office in 1831. The building that stands here now was built in 1864 by James Seabry. This church is a symbol of the first use of stones in its architecture and is registered as an object of national heritage.
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