🎬Historic Real Estate

Good morning. If you missed the Olympic opening ceremony and its traditional torch-lighting ritual (don’t worry, we’ll assume it’s because you were too busy with work), you’re in luck. We found you a cheaper and closer alternative.

The Uhuru Torch Race, a festival symbolic of Tanzania’s independence is currently going on, at least until mid-October. And it captures two of your grandma’s favorite parts of the Olympics: sprinting and torch-lighting. As for your pictures, while there may be no Eiffel Tower in sight, we’re pretty sure a shot in front of the Kilimandjaro would make a good substitute.

— Edna Akanni, Chibuike Uzor

CULTURE

South Africa’s Apartheid sites finally make it to UNESCO Heritage List

Thirty years after the Apartheid rule of law was brought to an end in modern-day South Africa, the locations that marked the nation’s struggles up to that point are finally getting some recognition.

The two most recognizable structures to be newly admitted into what you can call a Hall of Fame for structures are: the Union Building in Pretoria, now better known as the residence of the President of South Africa. It was initially built into 2 wings; One for English-speaking and the other for Afrikaans-speaking South Africans, but ended up being the venue for the inauguration of the country’s first democratically elected President, Nelson Mandela.

The other, the Lilliesleaf, was the secret home of political activists working against the apartheid regime. In fact, it was the place where Nelson Mandela and ten other rebel leaders were arrested and a year later, during the Rivonia trial, were handed life sentences.

What does it take to be a UNESCO Heritage Site?

According to UNESCO, there are ten distinct criteria to be met but the short form is; it has to be unique, culturally significant, and intact. That said, the apartheid sites are in really good company.

• Victoria Falls, Zambia/Zimbabwe: Vastly considered the world’s largest waterfall, capable of filling 1635 Olympic-sized pools in one hour.

• The Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda: Home to half the global population of gorillas.

• The Basilica of Our Lady of Peace, Ivory Coast: Listed by Guinness World Records as the largest church in the world, surpassing St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome upon completion.

The business of UNESCO Heritage Sites: If it wasn’t obvious by now, nothing says worthy tourist attraction like the World Heritage Site designation. Host countries smile to the bank from both tourist revenue and donor funding meant to maintain and preserve the site. An estimated $724 million was realized from tourist revenue on visits to Victoria Falls last year. EA.