The Palace of the Governors (French: ''palais des Gouverneurs'') is the old official residence of the

President of Togo This is a list of presidents of Togo since the formation of the post of president in 1960, to the present day. A total of four people have served as president (not counting one acting president and two interim military officeholders). Additiona ...

, and the residence of the First Minister since 1991. It is located just north of the city of Lomé, the capital city of the

Togolese Republic Togo (), officially the Togolese Republic (french: République togolaise), is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, where its ca ...

, next to the presidential residence.

History

The building was designed by a joint team of German and Togolese architects and engineers and was built between 1898 and 1905. The original concept for the building was to construct a palace that would make an impression from long distances, such as boats coming to harbor in Lomé, its construction was started by the Governor August Köhler soon after Lomé was made the capital of the colony, one of the most prosperous German colonies, in an effort to show its power and prestige.Les palais des gouverneurs - UNESCO World Heritage Centre
/ref> The materials used originated from a unique mixture of local available and imported goods. They include red bricks, iron, local woods, and cement. The building is typical of German colonial architecture. Constructed in a vast park, which was accessed previously through a gate made out of two elephant tusks more than two metres long, it is surrounded with terraces and possesses a

patio A patio (, from es, patio ; "courtyard", "forecourt", "yard", "little garden") is an outdoor space generally used for dining or recreation that adjoins a structure and is typically paved. In Australia the term is expanded to include roofed stru ...

similar to the one of the

Royal Palace This is a list of royal palaces, sorted by continent. Africa * Abdin Palace, Cairo * Al-Gawhara Palace, Cairo * Koubbeh Palace, Cairo * Tahra Palace, Cairo * Menelik Palace * Jubilee Palace * Guenete Leul Palace * Imperial Palace- Massa ...

of King Toffa I, in

Benin Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the north ...

. The ground floor previously housed administrative services while the private quarters of the governors were on the first floor. The palace was expanded by French authorities after 1914 as Togo was ceded by Germany following

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. After Togo took its independence in 1960, it became the seat of the presidency until 1976 when it became a residency for guests, and subsequently the seat of the Prime Minister in 1991, although it has suffered some damages from the political and social tensions of 1991 in Togo.

World Heritage Status

This site was added to the

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

World Heritage A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...

Tentative List on January 8, 2002 in the Cultural category.

Notes

References

Les palais des gouverneurs - UNESCO World Heritage Centre
Retrieved 2009-03-04. West Africa Buildings and structures in Lomé Presidential residences Houses completed in 1905 1905 establishments in the German colonial empire {{Togo-struct-stub