District Warsheikh | Region Middle Shebelle Time zone EAT (UTC+3) | |
 | ||
Warsheikh (Somali: Warsheekh, Arabic: وأرشيخ) is a town in the southeastern Middle Shebelle (Shabeellaha Dhexe) region of Somalia. An important historical Islamic center, it is situated on the coast north of Mogadishu.
Contents
Overview
Warsheikh is the northernmost of the Banaadir towns. It is the capital of the Warsheikh District.
An early Muslim center in southern Somalia, Warsheikh was one of the principal settlements of the Sultanate of Mogadishu during the Middle Ages. The town has an old mosque situated near a cape, which features an inscription noting its construction in 1278H (1861-1862 CE) by Sheikh Abu Bakr b. Mihzar b. Ahmad al-Kasadi. The masjid has three rows of transverse, east-west piers, and a foliate mihrab. It also has attached chambers, with the Sheikh's tomb situated in an adjacent room. Following the incorporation of Mogadishu in the Ajuran Empire, Warsheikh would also follow suit.
Over the course of three archaeological expeditions in Warsheikh between 1920 and 1921, Enrico Cerulli uncovered coins from the medieval Sultans of Mogadishu. They were deposited in the Scuola Orientale of the University of Rome, but were later lost in World War II. According to Cerulli, similar coins were found in the village of Mos (Moos), located about 14 km to Warsheikh's northwest. Freeman-Grenville (1963) also record another discovery of ancient coins in the latter town.
Demographics
The broader Warsheikh District has a total population of 15,573 residents. It is a very good holiday destination since it is a coastal area and not too far from the capital city Mogadishu.