Dag Hammarskjold Memorial

Zambia


A national monument (hence the hefty entry fee) and on the tentative list as a World Heritage Site is this memorial that commemorates the UN secretary-general whose plane crashed here in the 1960s during a peace mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The caretaker-guide brings the place to life as he presents a vivid account of the plane crash while introducing the attached museum.

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. Whether the plane was shot down or mechanical failure was to blame remains unclear.

It's located just off the Ndola–Kitwe road. To get here, travel about 10km from Ndola on the main highway towards Kitwe and turn north (signposted), following a minor gravel road for about 7km to reach the memorial.