Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove park and Gardens

Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria

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Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove in Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria, is a centuries-old sacred forest that serves as a spiritual home for the Yoruba goddess of fertility, Osun.

It is among the last remaining sacred groves linked to Yoruba urban settlements and was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005 due to its cultural and religious significance. The grove encompasses about 75 hectares of dense forest, shrines, sculptures, and sacred sites along the Osun River, where traditional worship and annual festivals continue to unite the community and the Yoruba diaspora worldwide.

The sacred site is maintained through both traditional customs and modern conservation efforts led by local guardians and artists, notably revitalized by Austrian artist Susanne Wenger. This grove remains a vital center for indigenous spirituality, indigenous knowledge, and Yoruba identity, attracting tourists and worshippers alike while preserving cultural heritage in a rapidly modernizing world.