Senegal: Dakar – African Renaissance Monument
African Renaissaince Monument is the tallest monument on the entire continent. Designed by a Romanian architect and built by North Korea for $27 million, this monstrosity is decidedly Stalinist in architecture and design – a man holding up a child pointing out toward Europe or sea and a woman dragged behind. There were massive protests back in 2010 when the monument was unveiled, mostly over the costs of it while the country lied in poverty. Islamic religious leaders criticized the monument over depiction of human bodies. Other criticism included – non-African body and facial features, borderline naked bodies especially that of the woman, sexism of a woman left behind and being dragged or led by a man. All that aside – it’s worth seeing and going up the 15-story elevator into the man’s head where you get a panoramic view as well as “look into the woman’s eyes”. Also, deep inside the monument is a Presidential Meeting Room where different presidents can meet and discuss things. There is also a sculpture museum depicting all different African nations and nationalities.
