The Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove

The Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove, on the edge of the city of Osogbo in southwestern Nigeria, is one of the last great sacred forests of the Yoruba people and a UNESCO World Heritage site of deep spiritual and artistic significance. Along the winding Osun River, dense old-growth forest shelters a remarkable array of shrines, sanctuaries and monumental sculptures dedicated to Osun, the Yoruba goddess of fertility and the river, and other deities. Revived and adorned in the twentieth century by artists of the Osogbo movement, its fantastical organic sculptures rise among the trees. Each year a great festival draws thousands of pilgrims, making the grove a vibrant, living centre of faith and culture.

What you actually see

• The riverside shrines - the sanctuaries to Osun along the river.
• The sculptures - the monumental organic artworks among the trees.
• The sacred forest - the dense old-growth grove and Osun River.
• The festival - the great annual pilgrimage and celebration.

When to go

November to March, the drier months, are the most comfortable for walking the forest paths and visiting the shrines; the grove's greatest moment is the annual Osun-Osogbo festival, usually in August, when it fills with pilgrims, music and colour. The dry season offers the easiest exploring underfoot.

Honest expectations

The grove is first and foremost an active sacred site, so it is best visited respectfully and with a local guide, who brings its rich spiritual meaning and symbolism to life. As one of the last great Yoruba sacred forests, a UNESCO World Heritage grove of shrines and fantastical sculpture and a living centre of faith, though, Osun-Osogbo is a genuinely special and moving place.

Nearby

The city of Osogbo and the wider Yoruba heartland lie around the grove.