Merca

Merca
Merca مَركة
Marka
—  Town  —
Merca city
Merca  مَركة is located in Somalia
Merca مَركة
Location in Somalia.
Coordinates: 1°42.89′N 44°46.2′E / 1.71483°N 44.77°E / 1.71483; 44.77
Country  Somalia
Region Shabeellaha Hoose
District Merca
Time zone EAT (UTC+3)

Merca (Somali: Marka, Arabic: مركة‎) is a port city on the coast of southern Somalia, facing the Indian Ocean. It is the main town in the Shabeellaha Hoose region, and is located approximately 70 km (43 mi) southwest of the nation's capital, Mogadishu.

Contents

History

Minaret and moonrise in Merca.

Merca was established in the 5th century by the Biyomaal clan. The first Somalis arrived in the city in the 3rd century BC and gained control of the area and the local trade. The city of Merka was one of several prominent administrative centers in the Ajuuraan Empire.

The Biyomaal and the Ashraaf of Merca fought against the Italian colonialists of Italian Somaliland in a twenty-year war known as the Biyomaal and Ashraaf Revolt in which many of their warriors assassinated several Italian governors. During the Biyomaal and Ashraaf Revolt, several prominent leaders were killed. Monuments erected in their memory can still be found in Merca.

In the late 20th century, the town gained a reputation as a beach resort, although it was subsequently severely damaged during the Somali Civil War. On 13 November 2008, Al-Shabaab took control of the city.

Art

Although visual art is not popular in Somalia due to prevailing beliefs that it contradicts Islam's proscription on all forms of idolatry, a lot of the known visual art in the country derives from the small historical town of Merca. Known for its beautiful white sandy beaches and orange dunes, the city's picturesque contrast of colors serves as an inspiration for local visual artists.

See also

External links

  • Osmanart - homepage of visual artist from Merca

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • merca — |é| s. f. 1.  [Popular] Compra. 2. Aquilo que se comprou …   Dicionário da Língua Portuguesa

  • merca — (De mercar). f. coloq. Acción y efecto de mercar …   Diccionario de la lengua española

  • Merca — ► sustantivo femenino coloquial Acción y resultado de mercar o adquirir una mercancía. SINÓNIMO compra * * * merca (de «mercar»; ant.) f. Compra. * * * merca …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • merca — ► sustantivo femenino coloquial Acción y resultado de mercar o adquirir una mercancía. SINÓNIMO compra * * * merca (de «mercar»; ant.) f. Compra. * * * merca. (De …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Merca — Karte Somalias Am Strand in Merka …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • merça — merço f. marchandise; qualité, sorte, genre; espèce. De tota merça : de toute nature; de toute sorte …   Diccionari Personau e Evolutiu

  • Merca District — Merca   District   Country  Somalia Region …   Wikipedia

  • merca-honras — s. 2 g. 2 núm. Pessoa que trafica com a honra alheia …   Dicionário da Língua Portuguesa

  • merca-tudo — s. m. Aquele que faz negócio de tudo; ferro velho …   Dicionário da Língua Portuguesa

  • Merca — /mer kah/, n. a city in S Somalia. 50,000. * * * …   Universalium

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