- Royal Palaces of Abomey
Royal Palaces of Abomey. Photo credit: Stuff You Missed in History Class
The Royal Palaces of Abomey are 12 in number and are spread over a 40-hectare piece of land in the middle of Abomey town in Benin. Traditionally, the site was the capital city of the West African Kingdom of Dahomey. European slave traders also used the area until the late-19th century.
It is made up of the king’s palace, which includes a two-story building locally known as “cowrie house,” and 11 other royal enclosures. In 1984, the site was included on the list of World Heritage Sites in Danger. Today, nobody lives in the palaces, and the place has been adopted by the government as a tourist attraction site.
