The Ruins Of Loropeni

The Ruins of Loropeni - The landmark was the first in the country to be designated as a Unesco World Heritage site. The stone ruins here offer an interesting day excursion of the best places in Burkina Faso.The 11,130m2 property, the first to be inscribed in the country, with its imposing stone walls is the best preserved of ten fortresses in the Lobi area and is part of a larger group of 100 stone enclosures that bear testimony to the power of the trans-Saharan gold trade.

The village was held by the Lohron or Koulango peoples, who controlled gold mining and transformation in the region from the 14th to the 17th centuries. This location is shrouded in mystery, with significant portions of it yet unexplored. During its lengthy history, the village appears to have been abandoned at times. The site, which was eventually abandoned in the early nineteenth century, is anticipated to offer a lot more information.

In current times, the remains are surrounded by trees and plants, which offer shelter for tiny creatures such as rats and birds. The Black Volta also runs close to the remains. The remains are currently covered with trees, and the walls are on the verge of falling.

• Location: west of Gaoua, southern Burkina Faso.