Royal Palaces of Abomey
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How it came to be
Abomey was the capital of the Kingdom of Dahomey in West Africa, ruled by 12 kings from 1625 to 1900. The kingdom was built by the Fon, and King Wegbaja (Houegbadja) laid its foundations on the precept that the kingdom should always be made greater. It grew powerful by dominating the slave trade with European merchants on the Slave Coast.
Ten palaces stand on about 47 hectares, each king building beside or on top of his predecessor's. Each has an outer, an inner and a private courtyard within earth walls, and their painted bas-reliefs recorded the kingdom's history.
Dahomey was defeated by France in a war that began in 1892. As French troops approached, King Béhanzin had the city and palaces set on fire; the palaces of Ghézo and Glélé survived and now house the Historical Museum of Abomey. A tornado on 15 March 1984 damaged the site, which was put on the List of World Heritage in Danger when it was inscribed in 1985 and taken off in 2007 after restoration.
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