Abéché

Abéché became the capital of the Ouaddaï sultanate in the second half of the nineteenth century when the court moved from Ouara, and it grew into one of the larger cities of the central Sudan, a trading centre on the routes north to Libya and east to Darfur. The sultan's palace, the great mosque and the tombs of the sultans survive in the old quarter, along with a street plan and building tradition of mud brick. The city stands on a plateau at around five hundred metres, which makes it slightly cooler than the plains west of it and is part of why the court moved here.

Background

Abéché is the capital of the Ouaddaï Region and one of the largest cities in Chad, 749 kilometres by road northeast of N'Djamena and 164 kilometres from Adre on the Sudanese border. Set in savanna at about 542 metres on the old trans-Saharan trade route, it is a cattle-raising centre and the country's main market for camel exports and rugs. In 2012 it had 76,492 people. Palaces, mosques and the tombs of former sultans survive from the old capital, and the Grand Mosque on the central square, built in the 19th century, is one of the oldest in the country.

Source: Wikipedia, "Abéché"

What's there

• The sultan's palace - the seat of the Ouaddaï court in the old quarter.
• The great mosque - the principal mosque of the historic city.
• The sultans' tombs - the burials of the ruling line.
• The mud-brick quarter - the old streets and building tradition.

When to go

November to February is the cool season. March to May is extremely hot. The rains from July make roads difficult.

What to expect

Much of the historic fabric has been lost or rebuilt. Photography of official buildings needs care and permission. Facilities for visitors are minimal.

Nearby

Ouara is northeast, and N'Djamena is far west.

Key facts