Here are five things to know about the statue of the Benin Amazon.
The statue is not a representation of Tassi Hangbe
When the statue was first presented, speculation was rife to discover the character it represents. A fake that the statue was a reproduction of Queen Tassi Hangbe has therefore been widely shared on the web.
Noting the situation, the government wasted no time in clarifying the situation and specifying that it is not a tribute to the Queen of Dahomey. Through his Twitter account, the government explained that there was no particular model for the bronze statue. She is an artistic depiction of a classic member of the historic Women's Army Corps.
The Amazon of Benin statue is the second largest in French-speaking Africa
From the top of these 30 m in height (excluding the base), the statue of the Amazon of Benin passes just behind the Monument of the African Renaissance in Dakar which rises to 52 m above ground. It thus becomes the second tallest statue in French-speaking Africa. The metal structure has a weight of 150 tons with a bronze coating.
The Benin Amazon statue was designed by a Chinese artist
Contrary to all expectations, the Beninese government did not decide to entrust the design of this monument steeped in history to a local artist, but rather to a Chinese artist. It was Li Xiangqun who received the mission on July 17, 2019 to bring the statue of the Amazon to life.
It has a dedicated place: the Esplanade des Amazones du Bénin
For a more lasting representation of the heritage of the Amazons, the statue of the Amazon of Benin also has a place dedicated to her. All the space around the statue located behind the presidential palace will therefore be converted into a square that bears the name Esplanade des Amazones of Benin.
It is a few meters from the longest mural in the world
Since the reforms of the sector tourism in Benin, many efforts are being made to make the landscape more and more attractive to the public. The government therefore contributed to the launch of the Effet Graff’ project a few years ago. It consisted of the development of a mural of graffiti.
The work of more than twenty artists has therefore led to the achievement of an almost crazy bet, the longest mural in the world. To complete this colorful picture, our dear statue of the Amazon of Benin is located just a few meters from this fresco.
The monument was inaugurated on August 30, 2022, the eve of the country’s independence day, by the President of the Republic Patrice TALON.
