MOSQUÉES ET MARCHÉS

At the end of the road leading to Majunga airport, Avenue de Mahabibo gives access to an extremely lively district that's a pleasure to stroll through. It's all the more lively for being home to several large, colorful markets and two major mosques. At the end of the day, men in finely embroidered blue and white djellabas cool off next to the high walls of these religious buildings, in a very Comorian atmosphere. At siesta time on Fridays and Sundays, the murmur of the suras lulls you to sleep. As you stroll along, guided by the muezzins' call to prayer, you'll come across one of the eight mosques dotted around the town, including the old Indian mosque and the graceful Comorian mosque. These two buildings bear witness to the influence of Islam in this region. The central city is also home to a number of elegant buildings dating from the colonial period. These include the Androva hospital, the old post office, the residence, the courthouse and an insanely large cathedral that seems to have landed in the middle of town like a meteorite. On the way up to the barracks, on the hill overlooking the town of Majunga, the surrounding wall opens onto a doorway decorated with flowers carved in stone. Here stood the rova that dominated the town. Without the means to restore it, this monument is in danger of disappearing, which would be a real shame. The gate is the last vestige of the Merina fort where Radama ^I established his headquarters.