Things to see and do Thiès

Created in 1966 by President Léopold Sédar Senghor, the aim of the Thiès Tapestry Manufactures or "tapestries of Thiès" is to transpose original works by Senegalese artists selected through calls for tender into decorative artworks: weaving, ceramics, mosaics, hanging, etc. Today, only the tapestry remains. The visit of the workshop is very interesting since it explains the different stages of the realization: transposition of the canvas on a cardboard, installation on the loom, weaving, etc.. Some of these works are exhibited and on sale in a room adjoining the factory. The place is spacious, which allows the different canvases to be displayed, all very colourful, some figurative, others more abstract. The original paintings can only be reproduced eight times in the form of tapestry. They are all on sale, starting at 600,000 FCFA per square metre. The catalogue is available on site, and it is possible to place an order by paying a deposit. Even if the Beaux-Arts consider the tapestries a bit too conservative, Thiès remains a reference for all of Africa and far beyond in terms of this art. Many of these works can be found in Senegalese institutions, but also in the palaces of heads of state or in world organizations. One of the most famous, a magnificent tapestry of 24 m² representing the Magal of Touba, pavilion since late 2012 the headquarters of the United Nations.

Colonial architecture has not really survived the passage of time and few towns and districts, although colonised for centuries by France, have not yet seen modern buildings and dwellings take root. The Ibrahima Sarr neighbourhood, named after the famous trade union leader of the great railway workers' strike in 1947-1948, is one of them. Rather calm compared to the hustle and bustle of Thies, it is an opportunity to discover beautiful colonial residences that cohabit with trees dating from the same period. A pleasant stroll.

Located in the city centre of Thiès, opposite the Senegalese Manufactures of Decorative Arts, the Regional Museum of Thiès took up residence in 1995 inside the old city fort, which has remained in its original state. It is a small museum, in very poor condition, but the current curator, Pierre-André Coly, will be pleased to show you around its collections, classified in small pavilions, including one devoted to the railways and their history in the region. You will also discover the ancient artistic universe of the kingdom of Cayor.