Visit Osun Osogbo grove / Albert Ogunde

Описание: Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove is a historic sacred forest and cultural landscape located on the outskirts of Osogbo city in Osun State, Nigeria. It is one of the last remaining sacred groves of the Yoruba people—a tradition once widespread across Yorubaland, where forests were set aside for spiritual and ritual purposes.

🌳 Cultural & Spiritual Significance

The grove is believed to be the home of the river goddess Osun, a major deity in Yoruba religion associated with fertility, healing, love, and prosperity.

It contains shrines, sanctuaries, and ritual sites linked to Osun and other Yoruba gods, connected by sacred paths and the Osun River, which flows through the grove.

The forest is an active religious site where traditional worship, rites, and pilgrimages still occur.

🗿 Art, Architecture & Restoration

Beginning in the 1950s and 1960s, the grove was revitalised through the work of Susanne Wenger, an Austrian-born artist who became a Yoruba high priestess and led a group of local artists. They created many of the large sculptures and artistic works that now define the grove’s landscape.

These artworks give the grove a distinctive blend of nature and modern sacred art, reinforcing its spiritual identity and attracting global interest.

🌿 Natural Environment

The grove covers about 75 hectares of dense tropical forest and represents one of the last remnants of primary high forest in southern Nigeria.

It supports a rich biodiversity, including around 400 plant species, many with medicinal uses, and various animals.

Traditional taboos prohibit fishing, hunting, farming, or tree-felling within the sacred area to preserve its spiritual and ecological integrity.

🏆 UNESCO World Heritage Status

In 2005, Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its cultural traditions and living spiritual practices, as well as its artistic landscape.

🎊 Annual Festival

Every July–August, the Osun-Osogbo Festival takes place, drawing thousands of worshippers and visitors who participate in rituals, drumming, dancing, and ceremonial processions dedicated to Osun.