Abomey Royal Palaces, Benin

In Abomey, the city of Benin, there is a unique historical complex - beautiful royal palaces, which are a reminder of the reign of the Dahomey kings. The complex consists of 12 palaces, whose architectural history is connected with an interesting cultural tradition. After each change of the ruler, a new palace was built next to the old one. The huge complex was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage in 1985.

At present, this historic monument is in danger of complete disappearance. Because of constant hurricanes some of the buildings had already been destroyed. The first palace of the complex was built in 1695 by King Hugbadja, the founder of the town of Abomey. The construction of the palaces lasted until the end of the 19th century. For nearly 200 years, the city was actively developing, and remained a political center of the Dahomey Kingdom.

The history of the kingdom ends in 1894 when Dahomey was attacked by the French army and came down after a series of battles under the pressure of the colonial lords. On the bas-reliefs of the castle walls one can see the scenes that reflect the historical events of that period. The wall bas-reliefs are one of the main features of the architectural complex. Heroes of traditional myths, symbols of the rulers and scenes of national rituals are depicted. The bas-relief production process is simply unique - locals have taken the earth from the anthill and mixed it with palm oil. The age of some bas-reliefs is almost 200 years. Next - Senegambia Stone Circles