Arch 22 is a commemorative arch on the road into Banjul in

the Gambia The Gambia,, ff, Gammbi, ar, غامبيا officially the Republic of The Gambia, is a country in West Africa. It is the smallest country within mainland AfricaHoare, Ben. (2002) ''The Kingfisher A-Z Encyclopedia'', Kingfisher Publicatio ...

. It was built in 1996 to mark the military

coup d'état A coup d'état (; French for 'stroke of state'), also known as a coup or overthrow, is a seizure and removal of a government and its powers. Typically, it is an illegal seizure of power by a political faction, politician, cult, rebel group, m ...

of July 22, 1994, through which Yahya Jammeh and his

Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council The Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council (AFPRC) gained control of Gambia in July 1994, in a military coup d'état. The AFPRC deposed the Dawda Jawara government and banned opposition political activity. Lieutenant Yahya Jammeh, chairman of t ...

overthrew the democratically elected Gambian government. The arch stands on the Banjul-

Serrekunda Serekunda (proper: Sayerr Kunda or Sere Kunda, ar, سيريكوندا, sometimes spelled Serrekunda) is the largest urban centre in The Gambia. It is situated close to the Atlantic coast, south-west of the capital, Banjul, and is formed of nine ...

Highway, near the traffic island at the intersection with Box Bar Road, Independence Drive, and Marina Parade. A statue of the "unknown soldier" can be seen near the base of the arch: the soldier has a rifle strapped to his back and carries a baby in one hand while signaling victory (making a V-sign) with the other. Arch 22 is depicted on the back of the 100- dalasis banknote.

Construction

The arch was designed by Senegalese architect Pierre Goudiaby, who also designed the Yundum International Airport at Banjul and the

African Renaissance Monument The African Renaissance Monument is a tall bronze statue located on top of one of the twin hills known as Collines des Mamelles, outside Dakar, Senegal. Built overlooking the Atlantic Ocean in the Ouakam suburb, the statue was designed by the S ...

in Dakar, Senegal. At 35 metres, the arch is one of the tallest structures in the Gambia. The building stands on eight columns and has three floors. Access to the upper floors can be made through several elevators and spiral cases. The first floor is at an intermediate level in the columns. The gallery on the second floor provides an impressive panorama of the city, with the view extending down to the sea port of Banjul and the mangrove forests of

Tanbi Wetland Complex Tanbi Wetland Complex is a wetland reserve in the Gambia outside of Banjul which was established in 2001. Location The wilderness site of the Tanbi Wetland Complex, in Gambia, is on the southern channel at the mouth of the River Gambia. It encom ...

. On the top floor is a small textile museum.

References

{{Commons category, Arch 22 Arches and vaults Buildings and structures in Banjul Buildings and structures completed in 1996 Terminating vistas