Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
DAG HAMMARSKJÖLD MEMORIAL
Located just off the Ndola to Kitwe road is the
Dag Hammarskjöld Memorial
(adult/child US$15/7;
8.30am-4.30pm)
, a national monument and World Heritage Site that commemorates the UN secretary-general
whose plane crashed here in the 1960s during a peace mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It's a
simple plinth with memorial stones from different countries and organisations, topped by a globe and surrounded by
a circle of trees in the shape of a plane. The caretaker-guide brings the place to life as he presents a vivid account of
the plane crash while introducing the attached
museum
. Whether the plane was shot down or mechanical failure
was to blame remains unclear. The new national monument entry charges are a little high for the experience on of-
fer.
To get here, travel about 10km from Ndola on the main highway towards Kitwe and turn north (signposted), fol-
lowing a minor gravel road for about 7km to reach the memorial.
Kitwe
0212 / POP 700,000
Zambia's second-largest city and the centre of the country's mining industry, Kitwe seems
far larger than quiet Ndola. Business travellers (read mining consultants) stop here for the
good selection of accommodation and eating places.
