[1][2] At its summit, there is a replica of a fortified multistory structure which served as a place of work and as a traditional court, which was destroyed when Sikasso was conquered by the French colonizers.

It was believed to be home to spirits, and has long been used as a gathering place, where court was held, guests were received and leaders observed the surrounding territory from the height.

Scholars have noted how the hill was used as a symbol of power by the Traoré dynasty, French colonists and more recently the Malian government.

Under madame N’diaye Ramatoulaye Diallo, then minister of Culture, Tourism and Trades, an agreement to help restore the monument was made between the local government and the World Bank through a program called Projet d’Appui aux Communes Urbaines du Mali (PACUM).

The platform or esplanade of the Mamelon, the staircase which leads up to them, the tribunes at the foot of the Mamelon on the North-east side and the space at the foot of the Mamelon in front of the City Hall are the objects of the present Restoration Project initiated by the City Hall of the Urban Commune of Sikasso and financed by the World Bank through Projet d’Appui aux Communes Urbaines du Mali (PACUM).