Mbanza Kongo — The Historic Centre of Mbanza Kongo in Angola's northern Zaire province, celebrates on July 8 the 7th anniversary since it was declared World Heritage by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
This achievement, which makes Angolans in particular and Africans in general proud, was reached on July 2017 in Krakow, Poland, during the 41st session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee.
Among the monuments and historical sites that contributed to the inscription of the Historical Centre are the Kulumbimbi (former Cathedral), the House of the King's Secretary, the Cemetery of the Kings of the former Kingdom of Kongo, Tady Dya Bukikua (former Royal Palace).
Other attractions include the secular Yala Nkuwu Tree and the tomb of Dona Mpolo, mother of King Afonso I, who was buried alive for disobeying the laws of the court.
The municipal administrator of Mbanza Kongo, Manuel Nsiansoki Gomes, told ANGOP that since 2017 the city has seen substantial improvements in a wide range of areas, particularly in communication routes, health, education, basic sanitation, energy and water.
He also said that Mbanza Kongo used to have a road network made up mostly of dirt, a scenario that contrasts with the current reality, as a result of the investments that have been made in urban roads.
In recent years, he said, 16 kilometres of streets in the outlying districts of Mbanza Kongo have been paved, as part of the Urban Roads program and the Integrated Municipal Intervention Plan (PIIM).
Manuel Gomes said the Mbanza Kongo has benefited from 24-hour electricity from the national grid for about five years now, stressing that around 60 percent of its inhabitants already enjoy this service.
Visits to the Historic Centre of Mbanza Kongo
From January to June this year, 2,532 tourists, both domestic and foreign, visited the Historic Centre of Mbanza Kongo, an increase of 606 tourists compared to the same period in 2023.
Among the visitors, 2,377 were nationals and 155 were expatriates from the DRC, Portugal, Belgium, the United States of America, France and Brazil.
The Museum of the Kongo Kings, the Cemetery of the Kongo Kings, Kulumbimbi, Tady Dya Bukikua, the secular tree (Yala Nkuwu) and the tomb of Dona Mpolo (mother of one of the kings buried alive for disobeying the laws of the court), were the most visited historical sites and monuments.
The municipal administrator appealed to national and foreign businesspeople to invest in the district's hotel sector to cope with the demand.
"Mbanza Kongo has few hotels and similar units, so we are appealing to businesspeople to direct their investments to this city, which is considered a virgin in terms of hotel projects," the administrator said.
Available data indicates that the city of Mbanza Kongo has four hotels, seven guest houses totaling 354 rooms.
A brief history of Mbanza Kongo
Since the founding of the kingdom of Kongo in the 13th century, the city of Mbanza Kongo has been its capital, the political, economic, social and cultural centre, the seat of the king and his court, and as such the centre of decision-making.
In keeping with its historical and cultural genesis, Mbanza Kongo's most prominent name at the time was Kongo dya Ntotela, a symbol of the unity and indivisibility of the Bakongos.
During the colonial era, the city was known by various names, the most prominent being São Salvador do Congo, a name that the Portuguese had assigned according to their wishes as a colonizing power.
Before the current commemorative date ( July 8), resulting from its elevation to World Heritage status, Mbanza Kongo celebrated its birthday on July 25.
According to reports, the July 25 of 1506 was institutionalized by King Nimi a Lukeni, founder of the Royal Court of the then Kingdom, as a date on which the Kingdoms adjacent to it would travel to Mbanza Kongo to pay tribute.
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Chronologically speaking, the city of Mbanza Kongo celebrates its 518th anniversary on July 25.
Mbanza Kongo municipality, with an area of 7,651 square kilometres, is bordered to the north by the municipality of Cuimba and the DRC, to the south and east by the province of Uíge and to the west by the municipalities of Nóqui and Tomboco.
Zaire is observing a local holiday to commemorate the declaration of the historic centre of Mbanza Kongo as a World Heritage Site.
The celebrations running under the motto "Mbanza Kongo, cradle of Kongo culture", the festival program which started Friday, includes campaigns to clean and beautify the city, talks, visits to historical sites and monuments, health and agricultural production fairs, a music and cultural show, among other attractions.
Mbanza Kongo has an estimated population of over 150,000 inhabitants, spread across the Sagrada Esperança, Álvaro Buta, Martins Kidito, 11 de Novembro and 4 de Fevereiro neighbourhoods. JL/DAN/AMP
