The twelve sacred hills of Imerina are hills of historical significance to the
Merina people of Madagascar. Located throughout
Imerina, the central area of the highlands of Madagascar, the sites were often ancient capitals, the birthplaces of key public figures, or the tomb sites of esteemed political or spiritual leaders. The first set of sacred sites was designated by early 17th-century king
Andrianjaka
Andrianjaka reigned over the Kingdom of Imerina in the central highlands region of Madagascar from around 1612 to 1630. Despite being the younger of King Ralambo's two sons, Andrianjaka succeeded to the throne on the basis of his strength of char ...
. The notion was re-sanctified under late 18th-century king
Andrianampoinimerina, who replaced several of the earlier sites with new ones. More than 12 sites were thus designated as sacred over time, although the notion of twelve sacred hills was perpetuated because of the significance of the number 12 in Malagasy cosmology. Today, little concrete evidence of the former importance of many of these sites remains, but the significant archeological and cultural heritage of several of the sites has been preserved. The historic significance of the sites is best represented by the
Rova of Antananarivo
The Rova of Antananarivo ( mg, Rovan'i Manjakamiadana ) is a royal palace complex ('' rova'') in Madagascar that served as the home of the sovereigns of the Kingdom of Imerina in the 17th and 18th centuries, as well as of the rulers of the King ...
at Analamanga, the ancient
fortified city at Alasora, the
houses and
tombs
A tomb ( grc-gre, τύμβος ''tumbos'') is a repository for the remains of the dead. It is generally any structurally enclosed interment space or burial chamber, of varying sizes. Placing a corpse into a tomb can be called ''immuremen ...
of the
andriana (noble class) at Antsahadinta and the
ancient fortifications and
palaces at
Ambohimanga
Ambohimanga is a hill and traditional fortified royal settlement ('' rova'') in Madagascar, located approximately northeast of the capital city of Antananarivo. It is situated in the commune of Ambohimanga Rova.
The hill and the rova that st ...
, protected as a
UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001.
History
According to popular legend, King
Andrianjaka
Andrianjaka reigned over the Kingdom of Imerina in the central highlands region of Madagascar from around 1612 to 1630. Despite being the younger of King Ralambo's two sons, Andrianjaka succeeded to the throne on the basis of his strength of char ...
(1610–1630) declared twelve hills in
Imerina (the central region of the Highlands of Madagascar) to be sacred due to their historical, political or spiritual significance to the
Merina people. King
Andrianampoinimerina (1787–1810) designated twelve hills in his turn, including several of those first identified by Andrianjaka. Most of these hills served as locations of the capitals of rival kingdoms conquered by Andrianampoinimerina and united under his rule, and many are also the seat of power of historic kings and queens of the
Merina dynasty.
Key sites
Twelve is a sacred number in
Merina cosmology and it is commonly said that Andrianampoinimerina had twelve wives and installed one on each of the twelve sacred hills throughout
his kingdom.
[Administration coloniale]
Notes, reconnaissances et explorations, Volume 4
Imprimerie officielle de Tananarive, 1898. In reality, he had more than twelve wives, and there are more than twelve hills surrounding
Antananarivo
Antananarivo ( French: ''Tananarive'', ), also known by its colonial shorthand form Tana, is the capital and largest city of Madagascar. The administrative area of the city, known as Antananarivo-Renivohitra ("Antananarivo-Mother Hill" or "A ...
that claim sacred status.
[Labourdette, Jean-Paul and Auzias, Dominique]
''Madagascar.''
Petit Futé, 2010. As such, precisely which hills should constitute the list of twelve sacred sites named by Andrianampoinimerina remains a point of some contention,
[Les collines sacrées.](_blank)
Office regionale du Tourisme à Antananarivo. Accessed November 5, 2010. but diverse sources have commonly indicated the following sites:
Hill of Alasora
Alasora
1348 m, latitude 18°57'46.08"S, longitude 47° 34'09.74"E.(15 km northeast of Antananarivo)
Alasora
Alasora is a rural commune in Analamanga Region, in the Central Highlands of Madagascar. It belongs to the district of Antananarivo Avaradrano.
It is located in the East of Antananarivo. The sacred Hill of Alasora is situated in this municipa ...
is one of the oldest villages in Imerina, believed to have been founded by Prince Ramasimparihy in 1490. Ruling from Imerimanjaka,
vazimba Queen
Rangita
Queen Rangita (died 1530), also known as Rangitamanjakatrimovavy, was a Vazimba sovereign who ruled at Merimanjaka in the central highlands of Madagascar after her father, King Andrianmpandramanenitra (Rafandramanenitra). She was succeeded upon he ...
(1500–1520) and her brother Andrianamponga gave the site its current name. Under Rangita's daughter, Queen
Rafohy (1520–1540), the capital of the region was moved from Imerimanjaka to Alasora. Some of the
monumental features of the site were added upon the orders of her son, King
Andriamanelo (1540–1575), including the ''hadivory'' and ''hadifetsy'' (defensive trenches around the town), as well as the ''vavahady'', a town gate protected by a large rolled stone disc acting as a barrier and shaded by ''aviavy'' (fig trees), symbolic of royalty. This town model was subsequently adopted throughout Imerina. Andriamanelo's tomb is located here.
Hill of Ambohidrabiby
Ambohidrabiby (or ''Ambohitrabiby'')
(20 km north of Antananarivo): Site of the capital of King
Ralambo (1575–1610), who is buried here, along with his
Vazimba grandfather (or father-in-law) Rabiby, a renowned astrologer for whom the hill is named.
Hill of Ambohidratrimo
Ambohidratrimo
1352 m, latitude 18°49'25.52"S,
longitude 47°26'48.70"E. (17 km the north of Antananarivo). Named for King Ratrimo who, in the mid-12th century, was according to oral history the first king to have established rule over the territory. After several unsuccessful attempts to capture the hill by force, Andrianampoinimerina finally managed to successfully incorporate the territory into his kingdom by marriage with his first wife, Rambolamasoandro, princess of
Ambohidratrimo
Ambohidratrimo is a town in Analamanga Region, in the Central Highlands of Madagascar, located at 15 km from the capital of Antananarivo.
There are found the Twelve sacred hills of Imerina
The twelve sacred hills of Imerina are hills of histo ...
and eventual mother of his son and successor
Radama I
Radama I "the Great" (1793–1828) was the first Malagasy sovereign to be recognized as King of Madagascar (1810–1828) by a European state. He came to power at the age of 18 following the death of his father, King Andrianampoinimerina. Under Ra ...
.
Hill of Ambohimanga
Ambohimanga
[Raison-Jourde, Françoise and Randrianja, Solofo. ''La Nation malgache au défi de l’ethnicité.'' Karthala Editions, 2002. ][ Oliver, Samuel]
Madagascar: an historical and descriptive account of the island and its former dependencies, Volume 1.
Macmillan, 1886.[Ravalitera, Pela]
Les Douze Collines sacrées, fruits de décisions royales.
''Journal de l’Express.'' Accessed December 1, 2010. ("Blue hill"), 1456 m, latitude 18°45'66.18"S, longitude 47°33'69.30"E. (21 km north of Antananarivo): Site of the capital of
Imerina under
Andrianampoinimerina,
Ambohimanga
Ambohimanga is a hill and traditional fortified royal settlement ('' rova'') in Madagascar, located approximately northeast of the capital city of Antananarivo. It is situated in the commune of Ambohimanga Rova.
The hill and the rova that st ...
was designated a
World Heritage Site by
UNESCO in 2001.
Hill of Analamanga
Analamanga
("Blue forest"), Latitude 18°55'24.86"S, longitude 47°31'56.06"E. (Antananarivo center): Site of the
Rova of Antananarivo
The Rova of Antananarivo ( mg, Rovan'i Manjakamiadana ) is a royal palace complex ('' rova'') in Madagascar that served as the home of the sovereigns of the Kingdom of Imerina in the 17th and 18th centuries, as well as of the rulers of the King ...
, Analamanga is the highest hill within the capital city of
Antananarivo
Antananarivo ( French: ''Tananarive'', ), also known by its colonial shorthand form Tana, is the capital and largest city of Madagascar. The administrative area of the city, known as Antananarivo-Renivohitra ("Antananarivo-Mother Hill" or "A ...
, upon which the original town was built by King
Andrianjaka
Andrianjaka reigned over the Kingdom of Imerina in the central highlands region of Madagascar from around 1612 to 1630. Despite being the younger of King Ralambo's two sons, Andrianjaka succeeded to the throne on the basis of his strength of char ...
(1610–1630). The modern region of
Analamanga also takes its name from the hill.
Hill of Antsahadinta
Antsahadinta
("Valley of the leeches"), 1390 m, latitude 19°00'72.18"S, longitude 47°27'45.00"E.
Founded and built by king
Andriamangarira
Andriamangarira was a king from the Merina Kingdom in Madagascar. He founded the royal city of Antsahadinta in around 1725. He was the grandson of King Andriamasinavalona, son of Rasohanamanjaka of Ambohimahamanina, one of his daughters, with a c ...
(1725-1775), grandson of
Andriamasinavalona
Andriamasinavalona (1675–1710), also known as Andrianjakanavalondambo, was a King of Imerina in the central highlands of Madagascar. He made significant and enduring contributions to the social, political and economic life of Imerina. Chief ...
, king of
Imerina (1675-1710).
Seat of power in western
Imerina and the site of numerous well-preserved
wooden aristocratic houses, one of the first 12 public schools built by
James Cameron
James Francis Cameron (born August 16, 1954) is a Canadian filmmaker. A major figure in the post-New Hollywood era, he is considered one of the industry's most innovative filmmakers, regularly pushing the boundaries of cinematic capability w ...
and other
LMS missionaries under
Radama I
Radama I "the Great" (1793–1828) was the first Malagasy sovereign to be recognized as King of Madagascar (1810–1828) by a European state. He came to power at the age of 18 following the death of his father, King Andrianampoinimerina. Under Ra ...
, and several important
royal tombs dating back over 700 years. Among all the royal hills of Imerina, the cultural and archeological heritage contained in this site is second only to
Ambohimanga
Ambohimanga is a hill and traditional fortified royal settlement ('' rova'') in Madagascar, located approximately northeast of the capital city of Antananarivo. It is situated in the commune of Ambohimanga Rova.
The hill and the rova that st ...
.
Hill of Ikaloy
Ikaloy 1435 m, latitude 18°35'43.72"S, longitude 47°38'99.76"E. Birthplace of King
Andrianampoinimerina. Among the remains of the historic town are a traditional
''vavahady'' stone alongside the original stone town gate, numerous ancient unmarked stone tombs and a well-preserved original
wooden aristocratic house.
Hill of Ilafy
Ilafy
Latitude 18°51'16.63"S, longitude 47°33'54.43"E. (10 km from Antananarivo): The site of the capital of the kingdom of
Andrianjafy (1770–1787), as well as a modest
wooden vacation palace constructed by
Radama II
Radama II (September 23, 1829 – May 12, 1863 'contested'' was the son and heir of Queen Ranavalona I and ruled from 1861 to 1863 over the Kingdom of Madagascar, which controlled virtually the entire island. Radama's rule, although brief, ...
(1861–1863).
Ilafy
Ilafy is a town and commune ( mg, kaominina) in Madagascar. It belongs to the district of Ambatondrazaka, which is a part of Alaotra-Mangoro Region. The population of the commune was estimated to be approximately 13,000 in 2001 commune census.
P ...
is also the site of the first arms manufacture in Madagascar, established by
Jean Laborde
Jean Laborde (16 October 1805 in Auch - 27 December 1878 in Mantasoa, Madagascar) was an adventurer and early industrialist in Madagascar. He became the chief engineer of the Merina monarchy, supervising the creation of a modern manufacturing cen ...
in 1833. The original tomb of King Radama II is located here, and his body was interred in this tomb in 1863 but was later transferred to the tomb of
Radama I
Radama I "the Great" (1793–1828) was the first Malagasy sovereign to be recognized as King of Madagascar (1810–1828) by a European state. He came to power at the age of 18 following the death of his father, King Andrianampoinimerina. Under Ra ...
on the compound of the
Rova of Antananarivo
The Rova of Antananarivo ( mg, Rovan'i Manjakamiadana ) is a royal palace complex ('' rova'') in Madagascar that served as the home of the sovereigns of the Kingdom of Imerina in the 17th and 18th centuries, as well as of the rulers of the King ...
in 1897.
Hill of Imerimanjaka
Imerimanjaka:
Site of the tombs of two
vazimba queens:
Rangita
Queen Rangita (died 1530), also known as Rangitamanjakatrimovavy, was a Vazimba sovereign who ruled at Merimanjaka in the central highlands of Madagascar after her father, King Andrianmpandramanenitra (Rafandramanenitra). She was succeeded upon he ...
, who ruled her kingdom from this territory, and
Rafohy, mother of
Andriamanelo, the first King of the
Imerina dynasty.
Hill of Imerimandroso
Imerimandroso
Latitude 17°25'47.02"S, longitude 48°35'32.58"E.
Imerimandroso
Imerimandroso is a town and commune ( mg, kaominina) in Madagascar. It belongs to the district of Ambatondrazaka, which is a part of Alaotra-Mangoro Region. The population of the commune was estimated to be approximately 11,000 in 2001 commune cen ...
was a town of importance to the Vazimba.
Hill of Namehana
Namehana Latitude 18°50'03.00"S, longitude 47°32'55.79"E. Site of a major battle of the
Franco-Hova War
The Franco-Hova Wars, also known as the Franco-Malagasy Wars were two French military interventions in Madagascar between 1883 and 1896 that overthrew the ruling monarchy of the Merina Kingdom, and resulted in Madagascar becoming a French colon ...
between the
Merina and
French forces in 1895.
Less commonly cited hills
There are numerous other sites less commonly included among the twelve sacred hills. Chief among these are:
* Ambohijoky
(12 km south of Antananarivo): Kingdom of origin of Queen Rabodo, 15th wife of
Andrianampoinimerina. At 1519 meters, it is the highest of the twelve sacred hills of Imerina.
Ambohijoky.
Madatana.com Accessed November 5, 2010.
* Antongona: Antongona The archaeological site of Antongona is located in the Imamo Region of Madagascar, roughly 36 km west of Antananarivo and 6 km north of Imerintsiatosika, Itasy.
Site Description
Antongona consists of two main groups of archaeological ...
is the site of two historic royal wooden houses and the walled village of Amborano, established in the 17th century.
* Androhibe
* Ampandrana
* Ambohimalaza
* Hiarandriana
* Ambatomanohina
* Ambohidrapeto
* Fenoarivo
* Iharanandriana
* Ambohidrontsy (Ambohihontsy, Ambohimanambola)
* Ambohitrondrana
* Amboatany:
* Ambohiniazy: Site where the Andriambahoaka were traditionally buried.
* Ambohijafy
* Ambohimandranjaka
Notes
{{reflist, 3
12 sacred hills of Imerina
Malagasy culture
Archaeology of Madagascar
Archaeological sites of Eastern Africa