Independence Square

Independence Square, widely known as Black Star Square, is a public square and national monument in Accra, in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. It sits on Independence Avenue in the Osu locality, within the Accra Metropolitan Area, on ground that lies between the Atlantic Ocean and the Osu district. The square is bordered by the Accra Sports Stadium and the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, and its setting runs between 28th February Road and Accra's southern coastline.

The square was commissioned by Kwame Nkrumah to celebrate Ghana's independence from British colonial rule in 1957, and it was completed in 1961 to coincide with the state visit of Queen Elizabeth II. It was designed by the Ghanaian architect Theo Lawson. It is described as one of the largest public squares in the world, and its seating stands accommodate 30,000 people.

Three monuments stand here. The Independence Arch lies south of the square, backed by the Gulf of Guinea. The Liberation Day Monument also stands within the square. The Black Star Gate, also called the Black Star Monument, is a triumphal-arch-style structure on a roundabout north of the main square, topped by the five-pointed Black Star of Africa and inscribed "AD 1957" and "Freedom and Justice". The Memorial of the Unknown Soldier, with an eternal flame and a soldier statue, honours Ghanaian soldiers who died in the World Wars.

For visitors, the square is a place of national ceremony as well as a landmark to walk through. It hosts the annual Independence Day parade on 6 March, along with national festivals, military and civic parades, concerts, and state funerals. Because it is an active ceremonial and military site, the Independence Arch is guarded by soldiers who restrict close-up photography without official permission; visitors should expect that access to the arch itself may be limited.