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Here are the 7 wonders of Africa
Learn all about the seven tallest statues on the continent.
The African Renaissance Monument is one of the seven wonders of Africa
These are the seven tallest and grandest statues on the continent. They can be found in Senegal, South Africa, Egypt and Nigeria. Meet the seven wonders of Africa:
African Renaissance Monument
Located in one of the twin hills in the Mamelles district of Dakar, Senegal stands a huge, magnificent sculpture. At 160 feet, it surpasses the height of the Statue of Liberty and easily the tallest statue in Africa.
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It is a depiction of a man with a muscular man holding a baby in one arm and a woman in the other. The baby is said to be a reflection of the future while the woman represents the past.
The monument was unveiled in 2010 by the former Senegalese president Abdoulaye Wade.
The African Renaissance Monument is the first wonder of Africa
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The Great Sphinx of Giza
Second on the list is this 66 feet sculpture on the Giza Plateau on the west bank of the Nile in Giza, Egypt. It is commonly referred to as the Sphinx of Giza or simply the Sphinx.
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Known as one of the largest, oldest and most famous monuments in the world, it takes the shape of a reclining sphinx, which is a mythical creature with a human head wearing the Nemes headdress of a pharaoh and the body of a lion.
The Great Sphinx of Giza is believed to have been carved from only one piece of rock
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There are several claims surrounding this statute. One is that the face of the Sphinx represents Pharoah Khafre Khafra, an extremely ancient Egyptian king. Another is that it has been here since the beginning of time when the gods lived with human beings on earth.
Colossi of Memnon
The third wonder of Africa can also be found in Egypt on the west side of the River Nile. Standing at 60 feet are two massive stone statues of the Pharaoh Amenhotep III. It is believed that he ruled Egypt during the Dynasty XVIII. It was originally built in the 14th century BC.
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One intriguing belief held by Greeks and Romans is that it used to make crying sounds at sunrise. This noise is said to be the cries of a woman called Eos (the goddess of dawn) who mourned the death of her son Memnon, a mortal Greek, by shedding tears every morning.
The Colossi of Memnon has survived for over 3,400 years
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These cries eventually resulted in the statues being named The Colossi at Memnon after the goddess' high-pitched sounds. According to How Stuff Works, the sounds stopped after Roman emperor Septimius Severus, repaired the damage caused by an earthquake damage many centuries ago.
Queen Moremi Statue of Liberty
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The fourth African wonder can be found in the largest country in Africa-Nigeria. It stands at 42 feet which makes it the tallest statue in this nation.
It is a representation of the selfless, brave and extremely wise Queen Moremi, who is well revered by the Yoruba people.
Yoruba monarch, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Babatunde Ogunwusi, unveils the tallest statue in Nigeria
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The monument was erected by Oba Ogunwusi in the Ife palace. This happened in 2016.
Statue of Ramesses II
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At 36 feet is a 3,200-year-old monument of Ramesses, made from red granite. It is located in Giza, Egypt.
It was discovered in 1820. At the time, it was broken in six pieces. It was eventually restored in 1955. It is said to weigh 20 tonnes, making the figure as heavy as 36 African elephants.
Statue of Ramesses II
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Nelson Mandela Statue
This 29 feet can be found at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, South Africa. It was built in 2013 in honour of the popular anti-apartheid activist and former South African president Nelson Mandela.
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The bronze statue is believed to have cost an estimate of R8-million.
Jesus de Greatest
The seventh wonder of Africa is a 28 feet statue made of white marble. It stands in St. Aloysius Catholic Church, Abajah village in Imo state, Nigeria.
It was built after a 43-year-old businessman named Obinna Onuoha had a strong desire in 1997 to build the 'tallest statue of Jesus in Africa.'
Construction began in 2013. It was completed and unveiled three years later.
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