Country Somalia Time zone EAT (UTC+3) | Region Banaadir | |
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Gondershe, also known as Gandershe or El Torre, is a town in the south-central Banaadir province of Somalia. It is noted for its various historical structures.
Overview
Gondershe is situated a few kilometers northeast of Merca and southwest of Mogadishu.
It is an ancient stone city built on an oasis. The town's ruins consist of typical Somali architecture, such as coral stone houses, fortifications, tombs and mosques. It is said to date from the medieval Ajuran period, when it became a center of trade that handled smaller vessels sailing from India, Arabia, Persia and the Far East.
Gondershe later evolved into a popular tourist attraction during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. The film La Conchiglia (1992) by the award-winning Somali filmmaker Abdulkadir Ahmed Said was also shot here, and features the town's local residents.