The twelve sacred hills of Imerina are hills of historical significance to the Merina people of Madagascar. Located throughout Imerina, the central area of the highlands of Madagascar, the sites were often ancient capitals, the birthplaces of key public figures, or the tomb sites of esteemed political or spiritual leaders. The first set of sacred sites was designated by early 17th-century king Andrianjaka. The notion was re-sanctified under late 18th-century king Andrianampoinimerina, who replaced several of the earlier sites with new ones. More than 12 sites were thus designated as sacred over time, although the notion of twelve sacred hills was perpetuated because of the significance of the number 12 in Malagasy cosmology. Today, little concrete evidence of the former importance of many of these sites remains, but the significant archeological and cultural heritage of several of the sites has been preserved. The historic significance of the sites is best represented by the Rova of Antananarivo at Analamanga, the ancient fortified city at Alasora, the houses and tombs of the andriana (noble class) at Antsahadinta and the ancient fortifications and palaces at Ambohimanga, protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001.
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redesignated the twelvesacredhills to include several different sites. Under Andriamasinavalona, the Kingdom ofImerina was composed of six provinces (toko):...
one of the twelvesacredhillsofImerina, is associated with strong feelings of national identity and has maintained its spiritual and sacred character...
control over a comparatively large part of the highlands of Madagascar including the twelvesacredhillsofImerina. Andrianampoinimerina conquered Antananarivo...
historical and cultural significance, widely considered one of the twelvesacredhillsofImerina. Estimated based on DEM data from Shuttle Radar Topography...
Stolen"). The historic fortified village of Ambohidratrimo, one of the twelvesacredhillsofImerina, was the location of Andriambelomasina's capital and rova...
walls were formed of loosely stacked flat stones. Examples of these ancient tombs can be found at some of the twelvesacredhillsofImerina. Where a body...
("City of the Thousand") in honor of Andrianjaka's soldiers. The city served as the capital of the Kingdom ofImerina until 1710 when Imerina split into...
Mandalova, Fidasiana, Ankadivory and Ambatomalaza. One of the TwelvesacredhillsofImerina, the Rova of Antsahadinta is located in the municipality. RECENSEMENT...
King ofImerina in the central highlands of Madagascar. He made significant and enduring contributions to the social, political and economic life of Imerina...
Betsimisaraka alliance of the eastern coast and the Sakalava chiefdoms of Menabe and Boina on the west coast. The Kingdom ofImerina, located in the central...
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