Culture of Dakar. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces

Tourists arriving in Dakar must see the Presidential Palace, which is considered to be its main architectural landmark. This beautiful snow-white building is located a few steps from the coast. The palace built in 1906 has been preserved to this day in its original form. Nearby is the Dakar Grand Mosque (Grande Mosquée de Dakar), which is one of the country's main religious monuments. The mosque's opening ceremony took place in 1964. Famous architects from Morocco and France worked on the project of this spectacular building. The height of the mosque’s minaret is 67 meters. It features luxurious interior decoration and an original combination of European and Eastern architectural traditions.

A great place for walking would be Independence Square, which is adorned with an unusual monument. The square is surrounded by many interesting architectural attractions, including the Town Hall. Vacationers walking along the coast will be able to see the local university opened in 1957. Despite the fact that it was founded relatively recently, it has already been recognized at the international level. Fans of sports would be interested in visiting Léopold Sédar Senghor Stadium. The beautiful sports arena regularly hosts exciting football matches as well as other sports and social events.

Connoisseurs of theatrical art would rather prefer the local theater. It can accommodate 1,200 spectators and is striking with its refined interior. Noble woods, as well as marble, leather and velvet were used for its decoration. Fans of interesting tours should definitely visit the Théodore Monod African Art Museum (Musée Théodore Monod d’Art africain). It is one of the most famous museums in North Africa that keeps wonderful collections of artworks dating back to different periods. One of the most valuable is the collection of ancient masks. The museum often hosts a variety of exhibitions and presentations at which contemporary artists present their works. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Among other cultural institutions, it is worth mentioning Maritime and Historical museums introducing visitors to the most important events in the life of the city. It would also be interesting to visit Gore Island where many important monuments of architecture have been preserved. Here you will find the old Portuguese church built in the second half of the 15th century, as well as the Town Hall and the House of Slaves.