Mur du Patrimoine is a large-scale outdoor graffiti mural located in Cotonou, Benin, and is widely recognized as the longest graffiti wall in Africa. It is often described as an open-air museum because it uses street art to visually narrate Benin’s history, culture, and national identity in a continuous public space.

The mural stretches for approximately 940 meters along a former railway boundary linked to the old Bénin–Niger railway infrastructure, in the Dota area of Cotonou’s 5th arrondissement. In total, the painted surface covers about 2,000 square meters, making it not only exceptional in length but also in artistic scale.

Mur du Patrimoine was created through the Effet Graff Festival, an urban art initiative launched in 2013 by Beninese artist Laurenson Djihouessi and the ASSART association. The wall features contributions from numerous African street artists. Its imagery highlights major themes of Benin’s heritage, including historical figures such as King Béhanzin, cultural icons like Angélique Kidjo, traditional symbols including Egungun masks, and collective memories such as the transatlantic slave trade and the Door of No Return.

Beyond its record length, Mur du Patrimoine plays an important social and cultural role. It brings art into everyday urban life, preserves collective memory through contemporary visual language, and strengthens Cotonou’s reputation as a center for modern African street art. Today, it is considered a key cultural landmark and tourist attraction in Benin, as well as one of the most prominent examples of heritage-focused graffiti on the African continent.

According to the internet