The world in the 10th century

909

Cluny Abbey was founded in 909 by William the Pious, Duke of Aquitaine, in Cluny, Burgundy, France. The Benedictine monastery was dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul. Its founding marked the start of the Cluniac Reforms, which later influenced the medieval Catholic Church and developed a large network of monasteries across Western Europe.

901–1000World Heritage

In the mid-10th century, the hermit Saint John of Rila founded the Rila Monastery.

901–1000World Heritage

In the 10th century, Caliph Abd ar-Rahman III of the Umayyad dynasty ordered the construction of the fortified palace-city of Madinat al-Zahra on the western outskirts of Córdoba to serve as the capital and administrative center of the Caliphate of Córdoba.

901–1000World Heritage

Around the 10th century, the Falun copper mine in Dalarna, Sweden, began operations. It operated for nearly a millennium until 1992, at its peak supplying most of Europe's copper and profoundly influencing global mining technology.

901–1000World Heritage

Westminster Abbey, originally a Benedictine monastery, was founded in the 10th century in the City of Westminster, London. The Gothic church later became the coronation and burial site of English and British monarchs and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.

901–1000World Heritage

In the 10th century, the first national parliament meeting was held at Þingvellir on the northern shore of Þingvallavatn in Iceland, marking the establishment of the Alþingi.

901–1000

Located in Najaf, Iraq, the Imam Ali Shrine is one of the holiest sites in Shia Islam, housing the tomb of Ali ibn Abi Talib. Ali was the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad, revered as the first Shia Imam and recognized as the fourth Sunni Rashidun Caliph. The shrine is also believed to contain the remains of the prophets Adam and Noah.

901–1000World Heritage

Haghpat Monastery was founded in the 970s and roughly completed in 991 in the Lori Province of northern Armenia. This medieval Armenian monastery represents religious architecture and culture, having suffered multiple earthquakes and wars, and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996.

901–1000

The Al-Askari Shrine in Samarra, Iraq, was built in 944 as the mausoleum for the tenth and eleventh Shia Imams, Ali al-Hadi and Hasan al-Askari, becoming a major holy site in Shia Islam.

901–1000

The Armenian Cathedral of the Holy Cross was built in 921 as a palatine church for the kings of Vaspurakan, later serving as the seat of the Catholicosate of Aghtamar. Located on Akdamar Island in Lake Van, it is a significant example of Armenian Apostolic medieval architecture.

901–1000World Heritage

Sanahin Monastery was founded in the 10th century in what is now Lori Province, Armenia, almost simultaneously with the nearby Haghpat Monastery. Both served as key centers of the Armenian Church, with Sanahin hosting around 500 scholars at its peak. It is a notable example of medieval Armenian religious and scholarly life.

901–1000

Amberd fortress sits on the slopes of Mount Aragats in present-day Armenia at about 2,300 meters above sea level, its name meaning 'fortress in the clouds'. Nearby stands an 11th-century Armenian church. Both structures form the core of the site; their exact construction dates are unknown, falling roughly in the 10th–11th centuries.

901–1000World Heritage

Banteay Srei, a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva and Parvati, was founded in 967 CE under King Rajendravarman II and completed in 1002 under Jayavarman V. Located about 25 km northeast of the main group of temples in the Angkor region, it is built of red sandstone and renowned for its elaborate carvings, earning it the title 'jewel of Khmer art'.

901–1000World Heritage

Around the 10th century, the excavation of a large cave complex began at Ellora, India. The site comprises Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain sanctuaries extending over 2 km, illustrating the religious tolerance of ancient India. Its architecture and sculpture, notably the Kailash temple in Cave 16, represent the pinnacle of Indian rock-cut architecture.

901–1000World Heritage

Around the late 10th and early 11th centuries, the construction of Ta Keo began in Angkor. The state temple of Jayavarman V was possibly the first in Angkor built entirely of sandstone, yet remained unfinished.

901–1000World Heritage

Phimeanakas was founded in the late 10th century within the Royal Palace of Angkor Thom. Originally built as a Shaivite temple under Rajendravarman, it was later remodeled by Suryavarman I into a Hindu temple in the form of a three-tiered pyramid representing Mount Meru.

901–1000World Heritage

The Lakshmana Temple was built in the 10th century by the Chandela ruler Yashovarman in Khajuraho, India. Dedicated to Vaikuntha Vishnu, it is a key part of the Khajuraho Group of Monuments, which was later inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1986.

901–1000

In the 10th century, the Jagannath Temple in Puri, dedicated to Jagannath (a form of Vishnu), was founded by Anantavarman Chodaganga, founder of the Eastern Ganga dynasty. Its rituals incorporate tribal traditions, marking it as a major Hindu pilgrimage site.

901–1000World Heritage

Manwoldae is the ruined main palace of the Goryeo Dynasty in Kaesong, located at the southern foot of Mount Songak. Covering about 1,250,000 square meters, only the palace site and foundation stones remain. Its original name is unknown; the name 'Manwoldae' was given to the ruins during the 14th or 15th century, meaning a terrace for viewing the full moon. The palace was repeatedly destroyed by fires.

901–1000

Yuelu Academy was founded in 976 at the foot of Yuelu Mountain, Changsha, during the Northern Song Dynasty, becoming one of the four great ancient academies of China. Its continuous operation for over a millennium established its legacy as a 'Millennium Institution'.

901–1000

Around the 10th century, the monk Shōkū founded Engyō-ji, a Tendai temple on Mount Shosha, Himeji. The temple later became the largest of the thirty-three temples on the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage and one of the three major Tendai training centers, alongside Mount Hiei and Mount Daisen. It received devotion from emperors and aristocracy.

901–1000

In 976 CE, during the Northern Song dynasty, Yuelu Academy was established in Changsha, Hunan, as the precursor to Hunan University. It became one of the Four Great Academies of ancient China, profoundly shaping Confucian education and Huxiang culture.

901–1000

Bongseonsa is a head temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, located in Jinjeop-eup, Namyangju, Gyeonggi province, just east of Seoul. It was built by National Preceptor Beobin in the late 10th century during the Goryeo dynasty, originally named Unaksa. In 1469, Queen Jeonghui of the Joseon Dynasty renamed it, meaning "temple of revering the sage," after her husband King Sejo was buried nearby. The temple subsequently maintained a close relationship with the queens of Joseon.

901–1000

Around the 10th century, King Qian Chu of Wuyue ordered the construction of Liuhe Pagoda at the foot of Yuelun Hill in Hangzhou to calm the Qiantang River tides. The pagoda is a multi-story brick-and-wood structure with an octagonal plan. It was later destroyed and rebuilt, with the current main body dating from the Southern Song dynasty and the outer eaves restored in the Qing dynasty.

901–1000World Heritage

In 970, the Fatimid Caliphate commissioned the first mosque in Cairo, Al-Azhar Mosque, which opened in 972. Its name derives from a title of Fatima, the daughter of Prophet Muhammad. It later evolved into a major Islamic center of learning.

901–1000World Heritage

The Sankoré Madrasa emerged in medieval Timbuktu as a major centre of Islamic learning in West Africa. Originally a mosque, it later developed into a madrasa, receiving patronage and renovations under the Mali and Songhai empires, reaching its peak in the 16th century.

901–1000World Heritage

Around the 10th century, the construction of Islamic Cairo began, laying the foundation for what would become a major center of the Islamic world. The city featured mosques, schools, and markets, and reached its golden age in the 14th century. Its historic core, known for landmarks such as Al-Azhar University and the Citadel of Saladin, was inscribed as a World Heritage site in the late 20th century.

969

In 969, troops of the Fatimid Caliphate under general Jawhar captured Egypt, which had been governed by the autonomous Ikhshidid dynasty in the name of the Abbasid Caliphate. The conquest brought Egypt under Fatimid rule, marking a new chapter in Egyptian history.

901–1000

The Great Mosque of Mahdia is situated on the southern side of the peninsula of the old city of Mahdia, Tunisia. Its construction began in 916, when the city was founded by the Fatimid caliph Abdallah al-Mahdi to serve as the main mosque. Most of the Fatimid-era city and structures have disappeared. The current mosque was largely reconstructed by archaeologists in the 1960s, with only the entrance façade preserved.

901–1000World Heritage

The Casbah of Algiers, the old town or medina of Algiers, was founded by the Zirids around the 10th century. Located on a coastal site overlooking the islands where a Carthaginian trading post once stood, this unique Islamic city contains the remains of a citadel, old mosques, Ottoman-style palaces, and a traditional urban structure associated with a deep-rooted sense of community.

901–1000Kilwa District

The Kilwa Sultanate was founded in the 10th century on the Swahili Coast, traditionally attributed to the Persian prince Ali ibn al-Hassan Shirazi. Centered on the island of Kilwa, it became the most significant political entity of Swahili culture.

901–1000Mogadishu

Towards the end of the first millennium, the Sultanate of Mogadishu emerged in the southern Horn of Africa as a medieval Muslim polity. Founded and ruled by the Fakhr al-Din dynasty, it grew into a preeminent trading empire dominating East African gold trade, minting its own currency, and leaving an extensive architectural legacy in present-day southern Somalia.

901–1000Dala

The Hausa Kingdom of Kano was established around 1000 CE near Dala, in present-day northern Nigeria, centred on the city of Kano. It became a prominent city-state in West Africa, enduring until the Fulani conquest in the early 19th century, after which it continued as the Kano Emirate Council.

901–1000Mexico City

In 995 AD, the Chichimecs founded the Nahua altepetl of Azcapotzalco on the western shore of Lake Texcoco in the Valley of Mexico, which later became the capital of the Tepanec empire.

901–1000World Heritage

Taos Pueblo, one of the oldest continuously inhabited Native American communities in North America, was founded around the 10th century. Located near present-day Taos, New Mexico, the site comprises a group of reddish-brown adobe buildings and is representative of Pueblo culture. It was later designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

901–1000World Heritage

In the 10th century, Norse farmer-hunters from Iceland settled in southern Greenland, introducing agriculture and forming the Kujataa subarctic farming landscape. It is the first known agriculture in the Arctic and the oldest evidence of Old Norse culture outside Europe.

950–959Muʻa

Around the 950s, the Tuʻi Tonga Empire was founded with its center at Muʻa on Tongatapu. It marked the beginning of Tongan expansionism and projected hegemony in Oceania, which grew over subsequent centuries.

1000

Completed in 1932, the Sydney Harbour Bridge is a steel arch bridge spanning Sydney Harbour, connecting the CBD to the North Shore. Built under the direction of John Bradfield, it carries rail, road, and pedestrian traffic and forms, together with the nearby Opera House, an iconic image of Sydney.

901–1000Quito

In the first millennium CE, the Cara culture emerged on the coast of Ecuador (present-day Manabí Province). Part of the Andean civilizations, this South American indigenous culture centered on the Quito area. Its exact founding date is unknown.