Surrounded
with twelve sacred hills of the mountain of Imerina, Tananarive is
built on an enormous black granite rock, dominating the plain of
Betsimitatatra.
Spreading its districts in 1400 m of height, the city seems to bloom in
a colourfull mess of roofs and facades, guarded by the vestiges of the
Palace of the Queen (the Rova), high place of the Malagasy history.
The
ricefields that surround the city looks like a color changing jewel
case. From season to season, red dry ground change into bright green of
new rice grass which spotted of sparkling mirors and finally finish
with the gold of ripe rice, ready to be harvested.
On the
side of hills, along often steep slopes, you will find houses of
diverse styles. Brick-built, houses are very characteristic of
Highlands. Generally built with a first floor and a wood porch
supported by square woodden pillars. The oldest houses are of wood,
this material having been compulsory for the construction of all the
houses of the city.
Traditionnally
facing west, the capital city houses are high in color, pink, orange
and red are mostly appreciated by the locals.
The hills of the city being so steep, houses are all side to side, the
arrows of their tile roofs seeming to point to the sky. Where the slope
is so steep that cars cannot go up the hill, kilometers of stairs will
allow you to discover high and low city.
Some "must see" districts of city center : - Analakely :«the little forest» this is the market place, to be found at the end of independance avenue. - Ampefiloha :district
of misnistries and central administration, , set close to the lake
Anosy. All painted in purple from septembre to october, jacaranda tree
flowers are all around the lake, a pure fantasy of colors ! - Isotry : popular district close to the train station. - Anatirova : District of the queen's Palace.
• The craftsmen market(an absolute must see)
- Isotry market:very nice market for baskets, clothes and spices. - Andravoahangymarket:on the
road of blue hill (colline bleue), you will find a great choice of
stones, solitaires games, carved wood, marquetry, recycled cans cars
and objects, voitures en métal recyclé, hand embroidery and basketrys. - Route Digue market: On the road to the airport, all kind malagasy crafts can be found there.
• Ambohimanga (The
blue hill) Located at 21 kms from Tananarive, Ambohimanga have long
been the major place of Merina rola familly. The blue hill is
considered as sacred, you will visit there some of the oldest
buildings, with mostly the Quenn's summer palace. It is a most charming
walk to do, especially if you keep in mind the fascinating history of
madagascar Monarchy.
• Southern...
Going
south of th capital city you will find peculiar houses made of rammed
earth, small churches on top of hills, emerging huge granite rocks,
plateformed ricefields set as giants stairways. The most spectacular
will be the "lavaka", wich are caving in soils due to rain wearing.
And further ...
- The very cute town of Antsirabe,well
known for its thermal baths, it has been also named The malagasy Vichy
after the french thermal station. Antsirabe have kept its colonial
style, with highly coloured rickshaws on the streets. - Ambositra, main city of wood craftsman, little
country town in the Betsileo country. Sculpting, carving and marquetry
are the know how of the afimaniry people that came from the west of the
island.
- Fianarantsoa : Capital city of the Betsileo people, it is the "garden" and wineyard of the island of Madagascar.
