What was the city of Timbuktu best known for?

The great Sahara Desert created an opportunity for wealth by trading to peoples who live in and around the region. The city of Timbuktu was built as a result of this trade.

Hundreds of years ago, salt was a very valuable commodity. It was valued for its taste as well as its ability to preserve food. One of the most productive areas for producing salt was the Sahara Desert, and the city of Timbuktu was built to capitalize upon this trade.