Arch 22, Banjul, Gambia
The July 22nd Arch is a monument that spans the Independence Drive which is the road that leads into the Gambia’s capital. A good reason to visit the monument is for the panoramic views you get of the city from the top floor terrace. Here you get a better idea of the place as an island city, encircled by the ocean, the River Gambia and parts of the Tanbi mangroves.
The other obvious features you see is are many corrugated rooftops, the large King Fahad Mosque, the National Assembly building and the Supreme Court.
The classical columns house the lifts and staircases which lead up to the cafe. The upper level central bridge houses a small ethnographic museum. Here you will find on display agricultural implements, traditional textile robes, and weapons such as bamboo bows and arrows as well as locally made firearms. There is also the handwritten text of the President’s takeover speech and the very stool which he sat upon to make it.
Soon after the opening of the Arch 22 one lift was abandoned having been made unusable due to subsidence caused by the soft soil. Cars have also been banned from driving between the columns and have to take the Marina Parade route instead.
Epic Gambia Culture & Adventure Route © Monika Newbound
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