PLACE MENELIK (PLACE DU 27-JUIN)

The central place where everything revolves is Place Menelik (formerly Place du 27-Juin). Situated in the center of the old colonial quarter, this space perfectly reflects the image a European has of a square: regular shape, homogeneous architecture, a few trees and a lively atmosphere. From Djibouti's earliest decades, this place was at the center of life for Europeans and local notables, and you can still feel it today.

Paul Nizan was astonished by the city's French character (compared with Aden, influenced by England): "Same life as in Aden, adorned with the dishevelment of Southern Europe, Greek, French, Italian. [... ] In Djibouti there are cafés, belote dethrones bridge, men talk about women. What a surprise for a Frenchman to find there the details that make France France and wear on the same body different clothes from England. I'm at home in Place Menelik, sitting on a café terrace in the style of Montélimar..." (Paul Nizan, Aden) (Paul Nizan, Aden Arabie, éditions La Découverte.)

Most of the square's buildings are lined with Moorish arcades, providing shade for the terraces of cafés and hotels. From here, the view of human activity is always the same and always new: traffic, passing tourists, street vendors, a local notable's new 4x4, and so on. There are a few souvenir stores, many green and white cabs, a few trees and, at the eastern end, the tourist office. The most beautiful house on the square is the Indian-influenced one opposite the tourist office, with its beautiful arches, balconies and wooden structures. Surrounding the square is a small grid of streets that intersect at right angles. Many streets bear the names of foreign capitals or cities: Paris, Brussels, Rome, Athens, London, Moscow, Geneva, Marseille... But some of these names have changed in recent years, so that we no longer really know what to call them. As sleepy as the rest of the country in the afternoons, these streets come alive in the mornings and evenings. A variety of shops, restaurants, cafés and offices line these streets.

To sum up, the Place du 27-Juin is very representative of the city. Its faded colors, liveliness, rhythm and accents evoke Africa, Arabia and Europe. It's also the heart of Djibouti's nightlife.