The great city of Kastina will leave you breathing hard with suspense and excitement. It is situated in North West Nigeria and it was carved out of Kaduna state in the year 1989. Kastina state occupies 24,192 square kilometers of land and is bordered in the east by Kano and Jigawa states, west by Zamfara, south by Kaduna and north by Niger Republic.
Most people may wonder if there is any tourist attraction site in Kastina State. The answer of course is yes! And most of these tourist sites are well preserved traditional, cultural and enchanting tourist destinations that were built many years ago. The beautiful and breath taking sites will leave you wondering if these were actually created by men.
Some of the best attractions include;
Katsina City Gates: This city gate was constructed about 900 years ago during the reign of king Murabus. The Katsina city wall surrounds the city and has seven different gates which serve as entrance. The ancient seven gates of the city wall continue to fascinate tourist to the town from both far and near. The wall and the gates are constructed in a way that will live you wondering.
Jibia Holiday Resort: Jibia holiday resort is a place to feed your eyes with ancient rocks and prehistoric painting on caves. It is located in Birnin Kudu, Katsina state. The rock paintings tell the story of the early settlers in the area, and the artistic abilities of the ancient people that first dwelt in the region.
Gobarau Minaret: This is a 50 feet meters minaret located at the centre of Katsina city. It is said to have been completed during the reign of Sarkin Katsina who was the first king in the state. Over the centuries, it has been used as a central mosque, an Islamic centre for higher education and a high tower for spotting invading armies. Gobarau minaret was constructed over 300 years ago and it was constructed out of baked clay bricks. Gobarau minaret is the symbol of the city.
Katsina Teachers’ College: The College was built in 1921 and it is the oldest institution of higher learning in northern Nigeria. It was built with red baked mud and fired clay. It remains a tourists’ delight and one of the most visited tourist destinations. The college was declared a historic monument on April 23, 1959. Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and Sir Ahmadu Bello were among the pioneer students who graduated from the institute.
Emirs Palaces in Katsina and Daura: The palaces of the Emir of Katsina and that of Daura are sights to behold today. The ancient architectural designs of the palace structures make them a tourist attraction to many visitors, and several tourists can’t do without taking pictures of them or asking question about their history.
Kusugu well Daura: The Kusugu well is where the giant snake called Sarki was killed with a sword by Bayajida in the 10th century. This heroic act by Bayajida made Daurama, the reigning queen of the time, to marry Bayajida who came from the Middle East. The snake allow people from Daura to fetch water from the well only once in a week. The water, according to the people, has never dried up and it is believed to have great healing powers. The well and the sword that was used to kill the formidable snake can still on display for tourists.
National Museum: It was declared a historical monument and a National Museum in 1989. Established in the year 1921 and was located within the premises of the old Katsina Training College, it houses various archaeological artifacts from all over the state and throughout the northern states of Nigeria.
Why not pay a visit to Kastina State and feed your eyes with some ancient monuments that will leave you mesmerized.
By Mercy Kukah
