Zimbabwe Landmarks and Monuments

(Zimbabwe, ZW, Southern Africa)

Think of sights in this part of Southern Africa and you can't help but conjure up images of the world-famous and much-visited Victoria Falls.

Whilst this series of spectacular cascading waterfalls is certainly Zimbabwe's most famous landmark, the country also boasts a host of other famous features, a number of which are based around Harare and Masvingo. These range from Harare's Kopje hill to the Great Zimbabwe Ruins and Heroes' Acre.

Also very much of note are the Matobo Hills, which are centred around the Matobo National Park and comprise a series of wooded valleys and isolated granite rock hills, known as either monadnocks, inselbergs or kopjes. Located just over 19 miles / 30 km to the south of Bulawayo (the second-biggest city in Zimbabwe), the distinctive hills are believed to have been created more than two million years ago, when volcanic activity forced these huge hunks of granite to the earth's surface.

Victoria Falls

Address: Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, ZW, Africa
The Zimbabwean side of Victoria Falls offers a unique perspective on this famous natural wonder and is fast becoming one of the country's top tourist landmarks. The nearest town - known popularly as Vic Falls, is the main tourist base. The Falls were formed over 150 million years ago. However, it is only in the 19th century that they became known to the rest of the world, thanks to the explorer David Livingstone, who was the first European to set eyes on the 'smoke that thunders'.
Open hours: daily
Admission: free, charge for guide-led trips

Matobo Hills

Address: South of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, ZW, Africa
The Matobo Hills are a multitude of distinctive granite rock formations that form a dramatic feature on the Zimbabwean landscape. They also make up one of the most extensive collections of rock paintings in this part of Southern Africa, covering a vast expanse exceeding 3,000 square kilometres / 1,160 square miles. Drawings include people, animals and trees, all in red ochre pigment - evidence that these hills have been inhabited for thousands of years.
Open hours: daily
Admission: free

Heroes' Acre

Address: Fourth Avenue, Warren Park, Harare, Zimbabwe, ZW, Africa
Built on a ridge on the outskirts of Harare, Heroes' Acre is both a shrine and a national monument. Particular features include the Statue of the Unknown Soldier, the Eternal Flame, wall murals and a small museum dedicated to the history of the country's liberation.
Open hours: daily - closes at dusk
Admission: free

The Kopje

Address: Harare, Zimbabwe, ZW, Africa
The Kopje is a granite hill that rises from the ground in the south-west of Harare city. It is a great place to climb if you want to get a panoramic view of the city and is also a very popular picnic spot.
Open hours: daily
Admission: free

Great Zimbabwe Ruins

Address: Masvingo, Zimbabwe, ZW, Africa
The Great Zimbabwe Ruins have been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1986. The ruins themselves were inhabited for 500 years, up until the 15th century. Today, the site consists of the Great Enclosure, with its royal residences, the Hill Ruins, which include a temple, and the Valley Ruins.
Open hours: daily
Admission: charge

Khami Ruins

Address: Masvingo, Zimbabwe, ZW, Africa
This archaeological gem is located on a hill top that is just a car drive eastwards from Bulawayo. As the second-largest stone monument in Zimbabwe, it has held status as an important National Monument since the 1930s. Later on, it was named as a UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Unusually, the site hasn't fallen victim to treasure seekers, so the authenticity of the ruins is unquestioned. The Khami Ruins site gives visitors an insight into early civilisations in this part of the world. It was the capital of the Torwa dynasty and was only abandoned in the 19th century.
Open hours: daily
Admission: charge