Place Faidherbe

Senegal

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With its statue of the French governor who led the colonial expansion eastwards and initiated many ambitious infrastructural projects, this square sits adjacent to several intact 19th-century houses, including the Governor's Palace, and on its north and south side, former barracks known as the Rogniat Casernes. Next to the Governor's Palace, you'll find a lovely 1828 cathedral with a neoclassical facade worth admiring.

This central space is where Saint-Louis splits into its southern part (Sindoné), the old Christian town, and the northern part (Lodo), the original home to the Muslim population.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • Faidherbe Bridge.

    Pont Faidherbe

    0.24 MILES

    Transferred to Saint-Louis in 1897, the Pont Faidherbe is the city's most significant landmark. The metal arches of this bridge linking Saint-Louis to the…

  • Parc National de la Langue de Barbarie

    Parc National de la Langue de Barbarie

    1.48 MILES

    This park includes the far southern tip of the Langue de Barbarie peninsula, the estuary of the Senegal River (which contains two small islands) and a…

  • Musée Jean Mermoz

    Musée Jean Mermoz

    0.06 MILES

    This small museum gives a glimpse into the life and times of Jean Mermoz, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and other pilots who flew during the golden era of…

  • Parc National des Oiseaux du Djoudj

    Parc National des Oiseaux du Djoudj

    28.78 MILES

    From November to April, some three million birds migrating south from Europe stop here, because it's one of the first places with permanent water south of…

  • IFAN Museum

    IFAN Museum

    0.47 MILES

    This heritage, art and culture museum contains photos of famous Saint-Louis personalities, an informative history section (in French) and exhibitions on…

  • Governance

    Governance

    0.05 MILES

    Right opposite the Pont Faidherbe, the Governance (usually referred to as 'la Gouvernance') is built on the ruins of the 18th-century colonial fort. This…

  • Guet N'Dar

    Guet N'Dar

    0.45 MILES

    On the Langue de Barbarie, Guet N'Dar is a fantastically busy fishing town worth checking out to observe local culture. Come here to watch dozens of…

  • Grand Mosque

    Grand Mosque

    0.42 MILES

    The Maghreb-style building of the Grand Mosque in the north was constructed in 1847 by order of the colonial administration to appease the growing Muslim…

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Nearby Senegal attractions

1. Governor's Palace

0.03 MILES

Overlooking the leafy Place Faidherbe is this classic 19th-century building, once the residence for the French colonial governor.

2. Rogniat Casernes

0.03 MILES

On opposite sides of Place Faidherbe, these two 19th-century buildings were used as soldiers' barracks during the colonial days. The building on the south…

3. Governance

0.05 MILES

Right opposite the Pont Faidherbe, the Governance (usually referred to as 'la Gouvernance') is built on the ruins of the 18th-century colonial fort. This…

4. Musée Jean Mermoz

0.06 MILES

This small museum gives a glimpse into the life and times of Jean Mermoz, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and other pilots who flew during the golden era of…

5. Cathedral

0.06 MILES

In the south, next to the governor's palace, you'll find the Cathedral, an 1828 building with a neoclassical facade that is one of the oldest operating…

6. Pont Faidherbe

0.24 MILES

Transferred to Saint-Louis in 1897, the Pont Faidherbe is the city's most significant landmark. The metal arches of this bridge linking Saint-Louis to the…

7. Grand Mosque

0.42 MILES

The Maghreb-style building of the Grand Mosque in the north was constructed in 1847 by order of the colonial administration to appease the growing Muslim…

8. Guet N'Dar

0.45 MILES

On the Langue de Barbarie, Guet N'Dar is a fantastically busy fishing town worth checking out to observe local culture. Come here to watch dozens of…