MacCarthy Square
The MacCarthy Square (from about 1996 to 2018: July 22nd Square ) is a sports and meeting place in Banjul , capital of the West African country Gambia . The name comes from the colonial times of British Gambia and goes back to the British governor Sir Charles MacCarthy (1764-1824).
description
The rectangular square is enclosed by Independence Drive , Rene Blain Street , Marina Parade and Alpha Tapsiru Sallam . The government building The Quadrangle adjoins it on the northwest side . On the west corner, on Independence Drive, is the Anglican Cathedral of Banjul . These two buildings are separated from MacCarthy Square by Alpha Tapsiru Sallam Street . In the western corner of the square, opposite the Anglican Cathedral, there is a children's playground. The King George Memorial Fountain can be found on the northeast corner of the square. The Bathurst Memorial is on the eastern edge of the square.
The grassy area is fenced and usually not open to the public. It is used for special celebrations and festivities, such as the national holidays, Independence Day on February 18th or formerly on the Day of the Revolution / Republic Day on July 22nd. For this purpose, three grandstands have been built on the north-western long side , the middle of which is covered.
history
MacCarthy Square was laid out by Captain Alexander Grant in the 1820s as the center of the Bathurst settlement (former name of Banjul).
In 1905 a fence was erected around MacCarthy Square.
During the reign of Yahya Jammeh the square was renamed "July 22nd Square" ( German Platz des 22. Juli ), the square is named after the revolution on July 22nd 1994 of Yahya Jammeh - also the beginning of the second republic. From 2018, with the change of government of Adama Barrow , the historical name "MacCarthy Square" was used again.
Sports facility
The field was also used as a cricket field , the name Victoria Recreation Ground was also used here.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Banjul Travel Guide , accessed May 2011
- ↑ Ilona Hupe: Gambia. Small vacation paradise in West Africa , Hupe, 1999, ISBN 3-932084-19-5
- ↑ POPULATION AND HOUSING CENSUS APRIL 1993 ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. PDF file, accessed July 2011
Web links
Coordinates: 13 ° 27'15 " N , 16 ° 34'26.5" W.