A powerful storm pulled down a tall cotton tree that had endured for hundreds of years in Sierra Leone's capital, Freetown.
The tree toppled during a rainfall on Wednesday night, according to President Julius Maada Bio. He called it a "great loss to the nation."
According to him, the tree was a symbol of liberty for early settlers. It's also on Sierra Leone banknotes.
However, some Christians celebrated its destruction, claiming it was used for witchcraft.
One of the tree's limbs fell after a strong downpour a week ago, but it was expected to live.
However, after another storm on Wednesday, the entire tree fell, leaving only a portion of the trunk standing.
As a result, the city's skyline has changed tremendously - some would argue forever.
The 70m (230 ft) tall cotton tree was believed to be the country's oldest of its kind, with a government statement estimating it to be 400 years old.
Only 300m distant are the Freedom Steps, which were scaled by newly arriving freed slaves before making Freetown their home.
As time passed, the city was built around the venerable tree at its core.
President Julius Maada Bio and other authorities are likely to visit the scene to assess what steps should be taken.
"We will have something at the same spot that bears testament to the great Cotton Tree's place in our history," he tweeted.
"All voices will be brought together for this."
The trunk and roots remain, suggesting that fresh shoots might form a new tree.
Other ideas include donating a section of the tree to a local national institution or carving it.
Many people are saddened by the tree's collapse, which has been described as "horrific" by some.
Oumar Farouk Sesay, a poet from Sierra Leone, penned a poem on the tree, comparing it to the Eiffel Tower, the Statue of Liberty, Big Ben, and other prominent world landmarks.
Some Christians, though, are celebrating.
The Faith Healing Bible Church's influential Pastor Francis Mambu says the tree's roots were utilized for witchcraft and that witches and wizards frequented it.
In recent weeks, the preacher, who has a large following in Sierra Leone, was heard in church warning that the tree will fall.