Where is the city of Omdurman, the Arab city with a long heritage and wide fame, and one of the most prominent centers of population and civilization in the brown continent? Illuminating the most prominent heritage landmarks that made Omdurman an exemplary example of coexistence.
Where is the city of Omdurman?
The city of Omdurman is located in the State of Sudan within the state of Khartoum, where it forms the northwestern part of what is known as the triangular capital, which includes the city of Khartoum, the city of Omdurman, and the city of Khartoum North. It was previously called “Omdur”, while others call it Omdurman is also known as the national capital and the cultural capital. Omdurman includes the main studios of the official Sudanese Radio and Television Corporation, the Sudanese Parliament building, and the military hospital, in addition to the Medical Weapon Command, Wadi Sidna Military Base and Airport, and the Nile Mosque, and to the south of Omdurman. The new Khartoum International Airport and the Sudanese National Theater are located next to the headquarters of the largest well-known sports clubs in Sudan, such as the Sudanese Al-Hilal Club, the Sudanese Al-Marikh Club, and the Sudanese Al-Mawrada Club.
Where is Omdurman located?
Omdurman is located along the western bank of the Nile near the confluence of the White Nile and the Blue Nile rivers at 15.65°N 32.48333°E longitude and latitude to the west of the Sudanese capital Khartoum and Khartoum North. Omdurman extends over an area of about 4,948 km square, while the average height of the city is about 280 meters above sea level, and its population, according to 2008 statistics, amounted to about 2.4 million people, with a population density of 162 people per 1 square kilometer, to form this with the other cities of Khartoum State With a large population of about 8.4 million people, Omdurman was formerly the capital of the Mahdist state founded by the Sudanese leader Muhammad Ahmed Mahdi.
The reason for naming the city of Omdurman
There have been many accounts about the reason for naming the Sudanese city of Omdurman this name. At a time when some said that the word “Omdurman” is an eloquent Arabic word from an authentic Qahtani word that means the high area of the earth about the height of the city of Omdurman from the surrounding sites, he saw Others say that the reason for naming the city of Omdurman with this name is because one of the women of the royal families who lived in this place had given birth to a son who was named “Durman”, so the place was called Omdurman. She used to live in this area, which was called “Durman” and she owned a house surrounded by a wall, and she was called Umm Darman, then the name was distorted and modified with time for ease of pronunciation to the current name Omdurman.
Omdurman city history
The Mahdi leader refused to take the city of Khartoum as his capital even after its liberation from the Turks and the killing of its ruler Gordon Pasha in 1885 AD. Rather, he chose the city of Omdurman after he had gone out on a camel with a group of his companions, where he unleashed his camel, which continued to walk until it reached the north of Abi Saad and Barak at the site where the Mahdi was buried later, in line with the customs of the Messenger Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, and the habits of the good companions. In the mosque neighborhood, the people of Khartoum gathered in the southern part of the city.
Geography of Omdurman
Like other cities of the Nile River Basin, the Sudanese city of Omdurman is located in an area that tends to be flat and generally flat, although it contains some low-altitude areas that reach their maximum value at the top of Mount Karari, which rises about 300 meters above sea level, while some valleys run The reefs in which rainwater collects slope towards the Nile, such as Khor Abu Ajna, Khor Shambat, and Wadi Sidna. As for its soil, it consists mainly of gneiss, granite, schist and some formations of Nubian sandstone, in addition to some modern alluvial sedimentary formations that are found near the Nile, which is increased to The flooding of the river is fertile thanks to the fine sedimentation that the Blue Nile brings as it passes by the city.
Coexistence in Omdurman
The Sudanese city of Omdurman includes several prominent historical monuments that testify to the authenticity of the civilizations that succeeded the city. Omdurman market is considered one of the most famous and oldest markets in Sudan, with its history dating back more than two hundred years. The market is a miniature model of the city of Omdurman, which was formed during There was a period as the national capital of Sudan, in which all human races lived, and in which all monotheistic religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) coexisted in addition to the false religions (Buddhism, Hinduism, etc.). And some of the names are still attached to some of the streets and neighborhoods in it, such as the Jewish market, although today it is devoid of followers of the Jewish religion.
Tourism in the city of Omdurman
Omdurman is a first-class tourist city and is characterized by its traditional industries. Among the most prominent tourist attractions that tourists can visit in Omdurman are:
- Dome of the Mahdi: which houses the tomb of the Sudanese leader, the Mahdi, one of the most prominent spiritual monuments in Sudan.
- Dome of the Mahdi Omdurman
- Caliph House Museum: It is the house in which the Caliph Abdullah bin Muhammad Al-Taqi bin Aish resided, in addition to some archaeological sites dating back to the era of the Mahdist state.
- Al- Tabia: One of the archaeological sites that formed an impenetrable fortress at an earlier time, in which the Mahdi Army snipers took shelter to repel the attack coming from the Nile.
- Al- Nilein Mosque: It was built in the form of a giant shell at the confluence of the White Nile and the Blue Nile rivers. It is the first building in Sudan to be constructed from aluminum partitions.
- Public parks: such as Omdurman Grand Park, Al Nakhla Park, Al Malazeen Park, and Al Mawrada Park.
This concludes the article that deals with the topic of where is Omdurman, the third city in the Sudanese state of Khartoum, by presenting the most important information related to the city with the illumination of the city’s famous market and the most prominent historical monuments that drive tourists to visit the city and learn about its ancient heritage.
