Praça da Independência (

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

: Independence Square) is a public square and focal point of

Maputo Maputo (), formerly named Lourenço Marques until 1976, is the Capital city, capital, and largest city of Mozambique. Located near the southern end of the country, it is within of the borders with Eswatini and South Africa. The city has a popul ...

Mozambique Mozambique (), officially the Republic of Mozambique ( pt, Moçambique or , ; ny, Mozambiki; sw, Msumbiji; ts, Muzambhiki), is a country located in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi ...

. It was built by the Portuguese as Praça Mouzinho de Albuquerque (''Mouzinho de Albuquerque Square'') and was dominated by a statue of Mouzinho de Albuquerque, the former governor-general of

Portuguese Mozambique Portuguese Mozambique ( pt, Moçambique) or Portuguese East Africa (''África Oriental Portuguesa'') were the common terms by which Mozambique was designated during the period in which it was a Portuguese Empire, Portuguese colony. Portuguese Moz ...

. The statue of Mouzinho on horseback was inaugurated in 1940. After the independence of Mozambique in 1975 the square was renamed Praça da Independência, and the statue of Mouzinho de Albuquerque was removed to

Fortaleza de Nossa Senhora da Conceição Fortaleza de Nossa Senhora da Conceição is a fort located in Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most populous state, and the se ...

and replaced by a statue of

Samora Machel Samora Moisés Machel (29 September 1933 – 19 October 1986) was a Mozambican military commander and political leader. A socialist in the tradition of Marxism–Leninism, he served as the first President of Mozambique from the country's ...

(1933-1986), the first president of Mozambique. The square is now dominated by the much larger

Samora Machel Statue The Samora Machel Statue ( Portuguese: ''A Estátua de Samora Machel'') is a bronze sculpture located in the center of Praça da Independência in Maputo, Mozambique. The statue depicts Samora Machel (1933-1986), military, revolutionary, and the ...

, which was built and dedicated in 2011. Praça da Independência is flanked to the north by the

Maputo City Hall Maputo City Hall or Municipal Council Building of Maputo (Portuguese: ''Edifício do Conselho Municipal de Maputo'') is the seat of the local government of the capital of Mozambique. The neoclassical building is located at the head of ''Praça ...

and to the east by Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception. Iron House, designed by

Gustave Eiffel Alexandre Gustave Eiffel (born Bonickhausen dit Eiffel; ; ; 15 December 1832 – 27 December 1923) was a French civil engineer. A graduate of École Centrale des Arts et Manufactures, he made his name with various bridges for the French railway ...

for the governor of Mozambique, is located just off the square.

Tunduru Gardens The Tunduru Gardens is public park and garden in downtown Maputo, Mozambique. It was designed in 1885 by British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Oversea ...

, designed in 1885 by

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

gardener

Thomas Honney Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the A ...

, is located one block south of the square.

References

National squares Geography of Maputo Tourist attractions in Maputo {{Mozambique-geo-stub