timecoded wallpaper black boxes image bank   The Grande Hotel
opened in 1954 in Beira, the second largest city in Mozambique,
then a Portuguese Colony. With 370 rooms, an Olympic size pool
and a helicopter pad, it was the largest hotel on the continent
and called the 'pride of Africa.' A casino was planned for
construction next to the hotel, but the archbishop had forbidden
gambling. Without this casino, the hotel failed to make any
money, and closed in the early 60s. During the War of
Independence, which officially ran from 1964-74, the Grande
Hotel became a camp for refugees and the wounded. Its basement
was used by the Portuguese to hold political prisoners -then
Marxist FRELIMO, the Mozambique Liberation Front, today the
ruling majority party- with members of the colonial army living
on the 3rd floor. The hotel's swimming pool and conference rooms
continued to be used until civil war broke out immediately
following independence. FRELIMO was now opposed by RENAMO, a
rebel group funded by South Africa and