Praça dos Heróis

The white marble mausoleum of the founding heroes of independent Mozambique

The Praça dos Heróis ("Heroes' Square") sits at the western end of Avenida Acordos de Lusaka, a large circular plaza dominated by a six-pointed star-shaped white marble structure. The shell encloses the Mausoleum of the Heroes of the Nation, where the remains of Mozambique's independence leaders lie behind a glass wall. The square is the formal setting for state ceremonies on independence day and other national holidays.

The crypt is not always open to walk-up visitors, but the exterior can be viewed at any time. The square is somewhat out of the way — a 4 km taxi ride from the centre — but it is worth combining with a visit to the Aeroporto Internacional monument or the nearby market.

things to do sight architecture
A story
The remains of **Eduardo Mondlane**, **Samora Machel**, **Josina Machel** and several other FRELIMO leaders lie in the underground crypt, behind a glass wall. The exterior — a star-shaped white marble shell with a permanent eternal flame — was completed in 1980 to a North Korean–assisted design and is one of the more Soviet-flavoured pieces of public architecture in southern Africa.

Other places in Things to Do