African Renaissance Monument

A giant bronze statue on a hill above Dakar, symbolising Africa's rise; one of Africa's tallest statues.

The statue is about 49 metres tall, though some sources give 50 or even 52 metres, and it is described as the tallest statue in Africa. It shows a family emerging from the hilltop: a strong man holding a child up high, with a woman at his side. It was unveiled in April 2010 to celebrate 50 years of Senegal's independence from France, but its cost and its look also caused a lot of debate.

History

The idea came from Abdoulaye Wade, who was President of Senegal at the time. He described the statue as Africa emerging from the depths of the earth. The Senegalese architect Pierre Goudiaby Atepa worked on the design, and the statue was built by Mansudae Overseas Projects, a company from North Korea. Work on the hill began in 2006 and building started in 2008. The statue was unveiled on 3 April 2010 and formally dedicated the next day, 4 April, Senegal's National Day, with about 19 African presidents attending.

Why it caused debate

Not everyone welcomed the monument. It cost about 27 million US dollars, and the government paid the builders with land instead of money. Many people felt this was far too much to spend while times were hard, and thousands marched in protest in Dakar. Some religious leaders objected because the figures wear very little clothing, and some critics said the faces did not look African. President Wade also claimed a share of the money the statue would earn, which his opponents challenged.

On the globe

The model shows the giant bronze family statue on its hill above Dakar, looking out towards the sea. Zoom in to find the man, the woman and the child.