Zeila

The ancient Zeila Mosque, damaged by the Civil War but still standing.

Zeila is a historic city in the north-western reaches of Somalia, within the autonomous republic of Somaliland. It was renowned for its ancient history and buildings, but unfortunately did not escape the Civil War of the 1990s, and much of the monuments are badly damaged. Despite this, in recent years the government of Somaliland has been attempting to revive the tourism sector and promote visits to this forgotten place.

Go next

• Djibouti - the border crossing is only a few kilometres away.