The Thomas Sankara Mausoleum in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, has been completed by Kéré Architecture. The memorial honors the influential revolutionary leader Thomas Sankara and twelve of his closest aides who were assassinated on the same ground. The mausoleum’s design thoughtfully incorporates sunlight and earth.
Inside, the tombs are arranged in a circular pattern that follows the arc of the sun. Each hour, daylight passes through a separate oculus above one of the thirteen graves, creating a subtle procession. Visitors approach the mausoleum via a winding route that begins along Boulevard Thomas Sankara and leads to a colorful pavilion.
This allows the act of walking to become part of the experience of remembrance. The materials used reflect the land on which it stands. Locally-sourced laterite stone and clay bricks were utilized, rooting the construction in the traditions that Sankara once championed.
Communities from around Ouagadougou prepared the earth, reinforcing the connection between memory and labor. Kéré Architecture’s environmental strategy is evident in the building’s form. Large, louvered gates along the east-west axis funnel wind through the central chamber, while the 34-meter dome above acts as a thermal buffer.
The design uses natural airflows to maintain comfort and calm.
Mausoleum honors Sankara’s enduring legacy
The mausoleum is part of the larger Thomas Sankara Memorial Park, a future urban project led by Kéré Architecture that will occupy fourteen hectares and include gathering spaces, educational facilities, and a towering 100-meter monument.
The height of the tower is a reference to the year of Sankara’s assassination. Francis Kéré described the commission as both a personal and political responsibility. The mausoleum transforms a site once shrouded in silence into a place of gathering, aligning architecture with healing and collective remembrance.
Days after Burkina Faso’s Interim President Ibrahim Traore’s trip to Russia, an event honoring Sankara featured attendees wearing Vladimir Putin t-shirts. Former militants and supporters gathered for the inauguration of the mausoleum, which commemorated the anniversary of the 1983 Democratic and Popular Revolution. Sankara, often referred to as “Africa’s Che Guevara,” is celebrated for his revolutionary leadership and efforts towards social justice and anti-imperialism.
The presence of Putin t-shirts at the event highlights the current geopolitical affiliations and sentiments following Traore’s visit to Russia. Prime Minister of Burkina Faso Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo has inaugurated the mausoleum. Sankara, who was president from 1983 until his assassination in 1987 at the age of 37, is remembered for his advocacy for women’s rights, environmental campaigns, economic independence, and significant national reforms.
The mausoleum marks the first stage of the larger Thomas Sankara Memorial Park, initiated by the Comité International pour le Mémorial Thomas Sankara and financed by the Burkina Faso government. This memorial park will include an amphitheater, restaurants, shops, offices, and educational and conference facilities. The Thomas Sankara Memorial Park is part of the Green Belt development plan, which aims to create valuable green spaces in the arid capital city, thus honoring Sankara’s environmental legacy.
Through its design and purpose, the mausoleum not only commemorates a pivotal historical figure but also serves as a beacon of hope and inspiration for future generations.
