Holiday in Kumasi

About Kumasi

Kumasi is the second largest city in Ghana and the historical capital of the powerful Ashanti Kingdom, one of the most significant empires in West Africa. The city in southern Ghana is referred to as the garden city of West Africa and is the cultural and spiritual center of the Ashanti culture, which is still alive today — the Asantehene (King of the Ashanti) continues to reside in the Manhyia Palace. The Kejetia Market (officially Kumasi Central Market) is the largest open-air market in West Africa: over 10,000 stalls on a vast area offer everything from Kente fabrics to spices to traditional medicine. The atmosphere is overwhelming — a labyrinth of colors, smells, and loud bargaining. The Manhyia Palace is the residence of the Asantehene and houses a museum that documents the history of the Ashanti Kingdom: golden insignia, the Golden Stool (Sika Dwa Kofi) as the holiest symbol of the Ashanti, and the history of resistance against British colonial rule. The traditional Ashanti buildings in Besease and Ejisu (UNESCO World Heritage) showcase the unique mud architecture with intricate reliefs. The cultural center of Kumasi (Prempeh II Jubilee Museum) houses Ashanti artifacts, gold weights, and Kente weaving art. Kente fabrics, the colorful handwoven textiles of the Ashanti, are still traditionally produced in the village of Bonwire, 18 km from Kumasi. Each pattern has its own meaning and tells a story.