Timbuktu was the ancient Malian city that became a major center of trade and learning and is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its location near the southern edge of the Sahara made it a vital meeting point between North Africa and the lands south of the desert.
The city prospered through trans-Saharan commerce, especially the exchange of Saharan salt for gold and other goods from West Africa. Its golden age came under the Mali Empire in the 13th and 14th centuries, when rulers such as Mansa Musa helped attract scholars, architects and merchants.
From the 13th to the 17th century, Timbuktu was a major center of Islamic scholarship. Schools and mosques including Sankoré, Djinguereber and Sidi Yahya supported study in theology, law, history, science and medicine. Scholars also created and preserved thousands of manuscripts.
Timbuktu’s historic centre was inscribed by UNESCO in 1988. Djenné and Gao were also important West African cities, but Timbuktu is the classic answer for this combination of trade, scholarship and UNESCO recognition.