Explain the significance of Timbuktu in West Africa.(1 point) Responses Timbuktu was a center for learning similar to the institutions that preceded universities in Europe. Timbuktu was a center for learning similar to the institutions that preceded universities in Europe. Timbuktu was the capital of the Nok culture. Timbuktu was the capital of the Nok culture. Timbuktu was a popular tourist destination. Timbuktu was a popular tourist destination. Timbuktu was the origin point of iron-smelting in West Africa.

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Timbuktu was a center for learning similar to the institutions that preceded universities in Europe. It flourished from the 13th to the 17th centuries as a hub of scholarship, culture, and trade, particularly during the height of the Mali Empire. The city housed significant institutions such as the Sankore University, attracting scholars and students from across the Islamic world and beyond. This made Timbuktu a vital center for the exchange of knowledge, particularly in fields such as astronomy, mathematics, and literature, contributing to the rich cultural and intellectual history of West Africa.