Guinea-Bissau - West Africa - page 469

BISSAU
POP 450,000
In the early evening, the fading sunlight lends the crumbling colonial facades of Bissau
Velho (Old Bissau) a touch of old-age glamour. Dozens of generators set the town trem-
bling, and ignite the lights of stylish bars and restaurants that form something of a modern,
indoor city in startling contrast with the worn exterior.
Sights
Bissau Velho (Old Bissau) , a stretch of narrow alleyways and derelict buildings, is 'guarded' by
the Fortaleza d'Amura OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP (off the southern end of Av Amílcar Cabral) , an im-
posing fort that is not accessible to visitors. With its bombed-out roof and shrapnel-riddled
neoclassical facade, the former presidential palace OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP (Praça dos Heróis
Nacionais) sends a powerful message about Guinea-Bissau's simmering conflicts. The rebuilt
and brushed-up Assembleia Ministério da Justiça OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP , by contrast, is an
architectural expression of democratic hopes.