The name Timbuktu has taken on mythic meaning, suggesting a place that is very far away. The real Timbuktu lies in Mali, in West Africa. During medieval times, Timbuktu became a center for wealth, culture, art, and higher learning. Founded in the fourteenth century, the famous University of Sankore in Timbuktu drew scholars from far away.
The splendor of Timbuktu is reflected today in Timbuktu's fascinating Islamic architecture.