Maison des Esclaves Prison, Senegal

From series “Famous prisons of the world”

7 out of 15 - Tuolsburg Prison, Cambodia

8 out of 15 - Port Arthur Prison, Australia

9 out of 15 - Elmina Castle Prison, Ghana

10 out of 15 - Maison des Esclaves Prison, Senegal

11 out of 15 - Robben Island Prison, South Africa

12 out of 15 - Butyrskaya Prison, Russia

13 out of 15 - San Quentin State Prison, USA

The historic Maison des Esclaves prison is located on the island of Goree in Senegal. It is also known as the center of the slave trade. The French colonialists kept slaves in this prison. The prison ceased to exist only after the abolition of the slave trade in 1848. The theme museum is located in the old prison building today. Its main visitors are residents of African states. Tourists from around the world also visit the museum. They want to get acquainted with the history of the state.

The building of the former prison has an unusual architecture. It is more like a huge colonial villa with its outlines. Even the central staircase is preserved in the building. It is built in the shape of a horseshoe. The feet of thousands of slaves had once trod it. The facade of the old prison is painted in a rich brick color. This makes its appearance even more impressive.

There are also other colonial-era buildings near the prison building. Old houses with tiled roofs are of great value from a historical point of view. Visitors to the historical museum will have the opportunity to see the cameras during the tour. Slaves were kept in them once. Visitors can also take a walk around the prison's courtyard. There were several prisons on Mount Island a few hundred years ago. All of them were used for the maintenance of slaves. The Maison des Esclaves is the only prison that has survived to this day.

Next - Robben Island Prison

Elmina Castle Prison, Ghana

Robben Island Prison, South Africa

Back to the start “Famous prisons of the world”

Maison des Esclaves Prison - interactive map

Useful staff nearby

ATM bankomat: 'IGF' located in 4.38 km (

check the route on the map).

Car rental office: 'INTERCAR, face Embarcadère de Gorée' is located in 2.89 km (

on the map).

Fuel station: 'Dépôt ORYX' in 2.98 km

Supermarket: 'Score Supermarket' in 3.25 km

Parking: 'Parking taxi Pullman' in 2.96 km

Apotheek: 'Pharmacie Fahd' in 3.07 km

Police station: 'Poste Police de Gorée' in 0.09 km

Cafe/restaurant: 'Restaurant Chez Kiki' in 0.1 km

Railway station: 'Dakar Railway Station' in 3.76 km

Nearest airports:
» Saint Louis Airport XLS - in 183 km

Experiment on yourself. Extravagant houses and apartments of designers

Architects are freaking out. Famous buildings of Postmodern architecture

Best hotels near Maison des Esclaves Prison

Villa Castel

Located in 0 km from Maison des Esclaves Prison
Route on the map:

Rooms: 4

The air-conditioned rooms at Villa Castel feature a seating area, a wardrobe, and the private bathrooms are complete with a shower and toilet. Solar … More: photo, rates and booking

Novotel Dakar

Located in 2 km from Maison des Esclaves Prison
Route on the map:

Rooms: 250

Guest rooms at Novotel Dakar are decorated in a contemporary style. They are spacious and come with a private bathroom and a TV. Guests have access … More: photo, rates and booking

Résidence Les Arcades

Located in 3 km from Maison des Esclaves Prison
Route on the map:

Rooms: 21

All the self-catering apartments feature air conditioning, an LCD TV with satellite channels and a terrace with sea view. They have a fully equipped … More: photo, rates and booking

Hotel Sokhamon

Located in 4 km from Maison des Esclaves Prison
Route on the map:

Rooms: 31

Each room features a view of the sea or the patio. Rooms include a TV and a private bathroom with a bath or shower. A hairdryer and bathrobes are … More: photo, rates and booking

Nearest unique sightseeing spots to visit

11 km - African Renaissance Monument

From the series 'The Most Grandiose Statues and Monuments'

Dakar can boast with one of the most emblematic and impressive monuments of the world, African Renaissance Monument. Its opening took place relatively recently, in 2010. The event was timed to the 50th anniversary of Senegal's independence. The height of the …

26 km - Retba Lake

From the series 'Top 13 Most Colorful and Picturesque Places on the Planet'

Not only the wonderful flowers, but also the bacteria can color the world colorfully. An excellent confirmation of this is the lake Retba, located in Senegal. This unique water basin is characterized by the bright pink water color. The secret of the strange lake is …

229 km - Senegambia Stone Circles

From the series 'The Unesco World Heritage Sites in Africa'

Travellers who like to explore unusual sights should go to the Gambia. Here, in the Senegambia area are mysterious circles of megaliths, about the appointment and history of which scientists from around the world have been arguing for hundreds of years. Scientists …

613 km - Cabo de Santa Maria Wrecks

From the series 'The Surviving Remains of Shipwrecks You Can Observe Yourself'

The freight ship Cabo de Santa Maria has an outstanding history. In 1968 it was transported very precious cargo – presents from Francisco Paulino Hermenegildo Teódulo Franco for Spanish alliance partners that support the country at the time of the economic crisis. …

633 km - Banc d Arguin Park

From the series 'The Unesco World Heritage Sites in Africa'

In Mauritania lies a remarkable coastal park Banc d'Arguin, which amazes travellers with a variety of landscapes and exotic inhabitants. The nature reserve is located on the coastal territory of the Atlantic. Its guests can see wonderful sand dunes, small islands …

958 km - Richat Structure

From the series 'The Most Mysterious Geological Formations on the Planet'

Many travelers go to the Sahara Desert in search of amazing sights, as its western part features the most mysterious formation on the planet, Richat structure. Its scale is so large that photographers usually take companions to shoot this thing in full. Richat is a …

Top destination around Maison des Esclaves Prison - Dakar

Tourists arriving in Dakar must see the Presidential Palace, which is considered to be its main architectural landmark. This beautiful snow-white building is located a few steps from the coast. The palace built in 1906 has been preserved to this day in its original form. Nearby is the Dakar Grand Mosque (Grande Mosquée de Dakar), which is one of the country's main religious monuments. The mosque's opening ceremony took place in 1964. Famous architects from Morocco and France worked on the project of this spectacular building. The height of the mosque’s minaret is 67 meters. It features luxurious interior decoration and an original combination of European and Eastern architectural traditions.

A great place for walking would be Independence Square, which is adorned with an unusual monument. The square is surrounded by many interesting architectural attractions, including the Town Hall. Vacationers walking along the coast will be able to see the local university opened in 1957. Despite the fact that it was founded relatively recently, it has already been recognized at the international level. Fans of sports would be interested in visiting Léopold Sédar Senghor Stadium. The beautiful sports arena regularly hosts exciting football matches as well as other sports and social events.
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