Cathedral of African Remembrance - Dakar Senegal

Cathedral of Our Lady of Victories

Aka...

The Cathedral of African Remembrance

Cathedral of African
Remembrance

At the end of WW1 Bishop Jalabert living in Paris was named vicar general of Dakar. He was given the . mission to raise funds to build the Cathedral of African Remembrance under the patronage of Our Lady of Victories. It is located on Boulevard de la République in the area of Dakar-Plateau . The sanctuary is built on the site of an ancient cemetery Lebu (Muslims).  The land was  granted to the Catholic Church by the government. The cathedral was consecrated February 2, 1936 by Cardinal Verdier , Archbishop of Paris.

Cathedral of African
Remembrance

The funeral of former President Leopold Sedar Senghor was celebrated there in 2001 .
Cardinal Hyacinthe Thiandoum ,who died in 2004 , is buried in the back of the altar, near the statue of Our Lady of Victories, patron saint of the cathedral

 

 This beautiful Catheral was recently restored. Designed by architect Charles-Albert Wulffleff ,it draws its inspiration from multiple sources: Sudan style towers and Byzantine domes and terraces.


 A vast dome lit by twenty windows occupies the center of a building like a Greek cross . Porticos 

extending three arms of the cross. The choir , surrounded by a walkway giving access to five chapels, is the fourth.



Face of a Angel

On the facade of the cathedral you will see the angels by famous sculptress  Anna 

Quinquaud whose features are inspired by the Fulani tribe. Materials from Africa was used... pink sandstone from Sudan , marble from Tunisia , wood from Gabon , and carpet Ouagadougou carpet.

 On the large entrance portico, flanked by two towers, was displayed in capital letters the following inscription: "In the dead of Africa grateful France". Now the original text has been replaced by another: "To the Virgin Mary Mother of Jesus the Savior."

Visit the website of The Archidiocese of Dakar 

Day Trips and Things to do in Dakar

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