Great Zimbabwe, which means "houses of stone", is an ancient ruined city standing near the town of Mosvingo in Zimbabwe. The 1,784-acre site dates from between the 12th to the 15th centuries and is the largest such settlement in the Zimbabwe highveld. The mortarless, dry-stone construction of Great Zimbabwe has survived remarkably well and many structures are still standing. The largest portion of the ruin is the Great Enclosure, which has walls 36 feet tall and extending 820 feet, making it the largest ancient structure south of the Sahara desert. At the height of its power, Great Zimbabwe had over 18,000 inhabitants. It is unclear why the Zimbabwe civilization declined, but some theories suggest that climate change or unrest in trade routes may have contributed to it. Great Zimbabwe is the second most visited site in the country after Victoria Falls, and is the greatest example of monumental architecture in Southern Africa.
Once the capital of the kingdom of Butua, Khami is now a large complex of ruins located in western Zimbabwe. Similar to Great Zimbabwe, Khami is notable for the innovation of its construction, including the massive terraforming that was undertaken to create flat building surfaces. The kingdom of Butua rose to power during the period of Great Zimbabwe's decline, which has led to some speculation that the Zimbabweans were responsible for the strikingly similar city at Khami. The Khami Ruins are now a national monument in Zimbabwe, as well as being a World Heritage Site and are an impressive, relatively unknown attraction.
Located in Southern Zimbabwe, Matobo Hills is one of the oldest human habitation sites in the world. The area has been considered a sacred site for thousands of years due to the uncommon hill formations that dot the landscape, which the indigenous people call "Bald Heads." The hills and caves of the area are renowned for the 20,000 cave-paintings and petroglyphs that can be found there, which date from as far back as 13,000 years ago. Several other notable features contribute to the monument, such as the White Colonial memorial for various European figures that have died or have been interred in the area and the shrine cave of the Mwari Cult, which is taboo for visitors to enter. Matobo Hills is a World Heritage Site and is one of the most fascinating monuments in Zimbabwe.
