Right opposite the Pont Faidherbe, the Governance (usually referred to as 'la Gouvernance') is built on the ruins of the 18th-century colonial fort. This was the seat of power for Afrique Occidentale Française (French West Africa) until the capital was transferred to Dakar in 1902. A tour around the backrooms of the Syndicat d'Initiative still grants a glimpse of the ancient walls.