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This Web site, dedicated to the Royal Palaces of Abomey in Benin, is currently under construction. Please bookmark this site and visit it again soon. |
Royal Palaces of Abomey, Benin
The West African Kingdom of Abomey (formerly Dahomey), founded in 1625 by the Fon people, developed into an extraordinarily powerful military and commercial empire. Until the late nineteenth century, it dominated trade with European enterprises on the Slave Coast. The kingdom's primary source of wealth was the selling of prisoners of war as slaves to European slave traders eager to transport the captives across the Atlantic to the New World. From 1695 to 1900, a succession of twelve kings ruled the kingdom and each of them built a lavish palace on the royal grounds in Abomey, the capital city. Over the centuries, the palace complex came to be filled with dwellings, facilities, murals, sculptures and a series of intricate bas-reliefs. Earthen bas-reliefs were used as an essential decorative feature in the facades of most of the palaces. For a society without written documents, these bas-reliefs serve as a unique record of the past. They represent the most significant events in the evolution of the Fon people and their empire, glorifying the military victories and power of each king and documenting the Fon people's myths, customs and rituals. The walls show that the military might of the Abomey kingdom was based, in part, on companies of female warriors who matched their male counterparts in fierceness and courage. They also portray mythical animals that symbolized the characteristics of the kings and their power as rulers. In order to defy French occupation in 1892, Abomey King Behanzin ordered that the city—including the palaces—be burned. The Salle des Bijoux (Hall of Jewels), the palace of an earlier ruler, is thought to have been one of the few structures to survive the fire, making its bas-reliefs of particular importance as a historic record of the Fon's rich culture.
Threats to the Survival of the Royal Palaces of Abomey
Due to damage from the 1984 tornado as well as decay caused by environmental factors, the site of the Royal Palaces of Abomey was inscribed on the World Heritage List. The earthen walls containing the bas-reliefs of the Royal Palaces of Abomey suffer from exposure to harsh weather as well as termite and insect attacks. Many of the buildings are in danger of collapse—when the roofs fall, the earthen walls become vulnerable, especially during the rainy season. Still used regularly for traditional rituals and for royal ceremonies, the palace buildings are important to preserve not simply for the past they represent, but also for the tradition they help to sustain. |
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Maps
Click here to see a map of Benin.Click here for a more detailed map of Benin. Delineation of national boundaries is for reference purposes only and does not represent an endorsement by the History Channel, UNESCO or any other UN agency. Links
Learn about why the Royal Palaces of Abomey were inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List.Read the Getty Conservation Institute's Newsletter to learn about the Royal Palaces of Abomey, their bas-reliefs, and the conservation program currently underway. Check out the World Monuments Watch list of the world's 100 most endangered sites. Click on the Royal Palaces of Abomey. Visit other threatened sites on this year's World Monuments Watch list. To learn about what UNESCO is accomplishing around the world, visit www.unesco.org. |
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