The Amazon Monument is the most striking piece of public art in Cotonou. The 30-metre bronze figure of a young Agojie warrior — rifle in one hand, short sword in the other, expression fierce and forward-looking — rises from a traffic roundabout in the Haie Vive neighbourhood near Boulevard de la Marina. The scale is genuinely impressive, and the location gives you good views from a distance.
The statue honours the Dahomey Amazons, the all-female military regiment that served the kings of Dahomey and became legendary for their ferocity in battle. Unveiled in July 2022 by President Patrice Talon, it is a deliberate act of national pride, reclaiming a history that had been filtered mainly through European accounts. The pedestal has reliefs depicting scenes from Agojie military campaigns. The surrounding roundabout is best visited on foot in the early morning or evening, when traffic is manageable.