Black and white lantern Slide of Zimbabwye - British South Africa. Part of Box 288, British South Africa. Boswell Collection. Slide number 23 Zimbabwye - Appears to be a picture of great Zimbabwe - Great Zimbabwe is a ruined city that was the capital of the Kingdom of Zimbabwe during the country?s Late Iron Age. The monument first began to be constructed in the 11th century and continued to be built until the 14th century, spanning an area of 722 hectares (1,780 acres) which, at its peak, could have housed up to 18,000 people. Great Zimbabwe acted as a royal palace for the Zimbabwean monarch and would have been used as the seat of their political power. One of its most prominent features were its walls, some of which were over five metres high and which were constructed without mortar. Eventually the city was abandoned and fell into ruin.