![Abomey-Königspalast3](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2e/Abomey-K%C3%B6nigspalast3.jpg)
The Royal Palaces of Abomey are 12 palaces spread over an area of at the heart of the
Abomey
Abomey is the capital of the Zou Department of Benin. The commune of Abomey covers an area of 142 square kilometres and, as of 2012, had a population of 90,195 people.
Abomey houses the Royal Palaces of Abomey, a collection of small traditional ...
town 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 ...
, formerly the capital of the West African
Kingdom of Dahomey
The Kingdom of Dahomey () was a West African kingdom located within present-day Benin that existed from approximately 1600 until 1904. Dahomey developed on the Abomey Plateau amongst the Fon people in the early 17th century and became a region ...
.
The Kingdom was founded in 1625 by the
Fon people
The Fon people, also called Fon nu, Agadja or Dahomey, are a Gbe ethnic group.[Fon people]
Encyclopædia Britan ...
who developed it into a powerful military and commercial empire, which dominated trade with
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
an
slave traders
The history of slavery spans many cultures, nationalities, and religions from ancient times to the present day. Likewise, its victims have come from many different ethnicities and religious groups. The social, economic, and legal positions of en ...
on the Slave Coast until the late 19th century, to whom they sold their prisoners of war. At its peak the palaces could accommodate up to 8000 people.
The King's palace included a two-story building known as the "cowrie house" or ''akuehue''.
Under the twelve kings who succeeded from 1625 to 1900, the kingdom established itself as one of the most powerful of the western coast of
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
.
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 ...
had inscribed the palaces on the
List of World Heritage Sites in Africa
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has designated 147 World Heritage Sites in Africa. These sites are located in 46 countries (also called " state parties").
Selection of World Heritage Sites
South Af ...
. Following this, the site had to be included under the
List of World Heritage in Danger
The List of World Heritage in Danger is compiled by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) through the World Heritage Committee according to Article 11.4 of the World Heritage Convention,Full title: ''Conv ...
since Abomey was hit by a
tornado
A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the Earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. It is often referred to as a twister, whirlwind or cyclone, altho ...
on 15 March 1984, when the royal enclosure and museums, particularly the King Guezo Portico, the Assins Room, King's
tomb
A tomb ( grc-gre, τύμβος ''tumbos'') is a :wikt:repository, repository for the remains of the dead. It is generally any structurally enclosed interment space or burial chamber, of varying sizes. Placing a corpse into a tomb can be ...
and Jewel Room were damaged. However, with assistance from several international agencies the restoration and renovation work was completed. Based on the corrective works carried out and reports received on these renovations at Abomey, UNESCO decided to remove the Royal Palaces of Abomey, Benin from the List of World Heritage in Danger, in July 2007.
Today, the palaces are no longer inhabited, but those of King Ghézo and King Glélé house the Historical Museum of Abomey, which illustrates the history of the kingdom and its symbolism through a desire for independence, resistance and fight against colonial occupation.
History
![Gbehanzin](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/eb/Gbehanzin.jpg)
The opulent palaces built by the 12 rulers of the kingdom within the cloistered site of Abomey, functioned between 1695 and 1900, as the traditional cultural hub of the empire. The first ruler to initiate the building of palaces was
King Houegbadja who had founded the city.
According to folklore, the descendants of the royal family of Abomey who built the 12 Royal Palaces of Abomey are the progeny of Princess Aligbonon of
Tado and a panther.
Their kingdom existed in the southern part of the present day
Republic of Benin
Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Republic of Dahomey, Dahomey, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burki ...
in Abomey. Recorded history is, however, traced to the 17th century to two of their descendants, namely
Do-Aklin
Do-Aklin or Gangnihessou (Ganye Hessou) or Dogbari is claimed as the founder of the Fon Kingdom of Dahomey in present-day Benin and the first person in the royal lineage of the Kings of Dahomey (the Aladaxonou dynasty). In many versions he is c ...
and
Dakodonou
Dakodonou, ''Dakodonu'', ''Dako Donu'' or ''Dako Danzo'' was an early king of the Kingdom of Dahomey, in present-day Benin, ruling from around 1620 until 1645. Oral tradition recounts that Dakodonu was the son of Do-Aklin, the founder of the roya ...
. Houegbadja (1645–1685) was the king who established the kingdom on the Abomey plateau and set the legal framework for the kingdom's functioning, political role, succession rules and so forth.
[
King Agaja (1718–1740) defeated the kingdom of ]Allada
Allada is a town, arrondissement, and commune, located in the Atlantique Department of Benin.
The current town of Allada corresponds to Great Ardra (also called Grand Ardra, or Arda), which was the capital of a Fon kingdom also called Allada (t ...
in 1724 and the Kingdom of Whydah
The Kingdom of Whydah ( known locally as; ''Glexwe'' / ''Glehoue'', but also known and spelt in old literature as; ''Hueda'', ''Whidah,'' ''Ajuda'', ''Ouidah'', ''Whidaw,'' ''Juida'', and ''Juda'' ( yo, Igelefe; french: Ouidah) was a kingdom on ...
in 1727. This resulted in killing of several prisoners. Many of the prisoners were also sold as slaves at Ouidah
Ouidah () or Whydah (; ''Ouidah'', ''Juida'', and ''Juda'' by the French; ''Ajudá'' by the Portuguese; and ''Fida'' by the Dutch) and known locally as Glexwe, formerly the chief port of the Kingdom of Whydah, is a city on the coast of the Repub ...
, then called Gléwé. These wars marked the beginning of the dominance of Dahomey's slave trade (which was carried out through the port of Whydah with the Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
ans.
In the 19th century, however, with the rise of the antislavery movement in Great Britain, King Guézo (1818–1858) initiated agricultural development in the country, which resulted in further economic prosperity of the kingdom achieved through exports of agricultural products such as corn and palm oil.[
In 1892-1894, ]France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
went to war with Dahomey
The Kingdom of Dahomey () was a West African kingdom located within present-day Benin that existed from approximately 1600 until 1904. Dahomey developed on the Abomey Plateau amongst the Fon people in the early 17th century and became a region ...
. Initially, Dahomey won many battles when even the chief of the French army
The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (french: Armée de Terre, ), is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces. It is responsible to the Government of France, along with the other components of the Armed For ...
was killed at the battle. King Béhanzin
Béhanzin ( – 10 December 1906) is considered the eleventh (if Adandozan is not counted) King of Dahomey, modern-day Republic of Benin. Upon taking the throne, he changed his name from Kondo.
Biography
He succeeded his father, Glele, an ...
, the last independent reigning king of was betrayed by his brother rivalry to the throne who exposed the secret to France this was why Béhanzin
Béhanzin ( – 10 December 1906) is considered the eleventh (if Adandozan is not counted) King of Dahomey, modern-day Republic of Benin. Upon taking the throne, he changed his name from Kondo.
Biography
He succeeded his father, Glele, an ...
set fire to Abomey. The French eventually deported him to Martinique
Martinique ( , ; gcf, label=Martinican Creole, Matinik or ; Kalinago: or ) is an island and an overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France. An integral part of the French Republic, Martinique is located in th ...
. His successor King Agooli Agbo could rule only till his deportation to Gabon
Gabon (; ; snq, Ngabu), officially the Gabonese Republic (french: République gabonaise), is a country on the west coast of Central Africa. Located on the equator, it is bordered by Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north ...
in 1900. In 1960, when the present-day Bénin attained independence from France, it originally bore the name Dahomey.[
The official history of the kingdom were recorded and followed through a series of ]polychrome
Polychrome is the "practice of decorating architectural elements, sculpture, etc., in a variety of colors." The term is used to refer to certain styles of architecture, pottery or sculpture in multiple colors.
Ancient Egypt
Colossal statu ...
earthen bas-relief
Relief is a sculptural method in which the sculpted pieces are bonded to a solid background of the same material. The term ''relief'' is from the Latin verb ''relevo'', to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is to give the impression that the ...
s.
Culture
Dahomean culture was deep rooted with intense reverence for the kings of Dahomey and with great religious significance. Each king was symbolised on a "common appliquéd quilt". Ceremonies were part of the culture, with human sacrifice as one of the practices.[
]
Traditional architecture
Layout
The town where the palaces were built was surrounded by a mud wall with a circumference estimated at , pierced by six gate
A gate or gateway is a point of entry to or from a space enclosed by walls. The word derived from old Norse "gat" meaning road or path; But other terms include ''yett and port''. The concept originally referred to the gap or hole in the wall ...
s, and protected by a ditch deep, filled with a dense growth of prickly acacia
''Acacia'', commonly known as the wattles or acacias, is a large genus of shrubs and trees in the subfamily Mimosoideae of the pea family Fabaceae. Initially, it comprised a group of plant species native to Africa and Australasia. The genus na ...
, the usual defence of West African strongholds. Within the walls were villages separated by fields, several royal palaces, a market-place and a large square containing the barracks. The average thickness of the walls was about , which maintained cool temperatures inside the palace rooms.
Each palace had a distinct design to suit the whims of the kings. The ''Kpododji'' through the ''Honnouwa'' formed the first interior courtyard of the palace while the second interior courtyard ''Jalalahènnou'' was by the ''Logodo''. The Ajalala, a unique building, which has many types of openings, is in the second courtyard; the walls have decorations of suggestive images in bas-relief. The palaces of Glèlè and Guézo, which survived the intentional fire of 1894 set by Béhanzin, were restored and they are now part of the museum.[
The materials used for construction consisted of earth for the foundations, floors and raised structures. The wood work was made with ]palm
Palm most commonly refers to:
* Palm of the hand, the central region of the front of the hand
* Palm plants, of family Arecaceae
**List of Arecaceae genera
* Several other plants known as "palm"
Palm or Palms may also refer to:
Music
* Palm (ba ...
, bamboo
Bamboos are a diverse group of evergreen perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family. The origin of the word "bamboo" is uncertain, bu ...
, iroko
Iroko (also known as in Igbo language, '' in the Urhobo language of Southern Nigeria, and as odum in the Kwa languages of Ghana) is a large hardwood tree from the west coast of tropical Africa that can live up to 500 years. This is the common n ...
and mahogany
Mahogany is a straight-grained, reddish-brown timber of three tropical hardwood species of the genus ''Swietenia'', indigenous to the AmericasBridgewater, Samuel (2012). ''A Natural History of Belize: Inside the Maya Forest''. Austin: Unive ...
species. Roof was made of straw and sheet-metal.[
]
Bas reliefs
The bas relief
Relief is a sculptural method in which the sculpted pieces are bonded to a solid background of the same material. The term ''relief'' is from the Latin verb ''relevo'', to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is to give the impression that the ...
s functioned as a record book (in the absence of written documents) to record the significant events in the evolution of the Fon people
The Fon people, also called Fon nu, Agadja or Dahomey, are a Gbe ethnic group.[Fon people]
Encyclopædia Britan ...
and their empire, relating the military
A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...
victories and power of each king and documenting the Fon people's myth
Myth is a folklore genre consisting of Narrative, narratives that play a fundamental role in a society, such as foundational tales or Origin myth, origin myths. Since "myth" is widely used to imply that a story is not Objectivity (philosophy), ...
s, customs
Customs is an authority or agency in a country responsible for collecting tariffs and for controlling the flow of goods, including animals, transports, personal effects, and hazardous items, into and out of a country. Traditionally, customs ...
and ritual
A ritual is a sequence of activities involving gestures, words, actions, or objects, performed according to a set sequence. Rituals may be prescribed by the traditions of a community, including a religious community. Rituals are characterized, b ...
s. However, in 1892, in defiance of French occupation, King Behanzin (1889–1894) ordered that the city and the palaces be burned. Providentially, most monuments survived the fire and many palaces have been since restored. Copper and brass plaques adorned the walls.
The bas-reliefs were inlaid in walls and pillars. They were made out of earth from ant-hills mixed with palm oil and dyed with vegetable and mineral pigments. They represent one of the most impressive highlights of the palaces, which are now on display in the museum and replaced by replicas.[
Many of the objects exhibited in the museum, which were part of the religious ceremonies conducted by the kings in the past, are used even now by the royal family of Dahome in their religious rites.][
]
UNESCO recognition
In recognition of the unique cultural significance of these monuments, 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 ...
inscribed the Royal Palaces of Abomey under the List of World Heritage Sites
This is a list of the lists of World Heritage Sites. A World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as having special cultural or physical significance.
General lis ...
in 1985 under Culture – Criteria IV.[ The site inscribed consists of two zones namely, the palaces which form the principal zone and the Akaba Palace Zone on the north-northwest part of the site; both zones are enclosed within a partially preserved cob walls. The UNESCO inscription states: "From 1625 to 1900 twelve kings succeeded one another at the head of the powerful Kingdom of Abomey. With the exception of King Akaba, who used a separate enclosure, they each had their palaces built within the same cob-wall area, in keeping with previous palaces as regards the use of space and materials. The royal palaces of Abomey are a unique reminder of this vanished kingdom."][ The Royal Palaces of Abomey were taken off the List of World Heritage Sites in Danger in July 2007.]
Abomey Historical Museum
The Abomey Historical Museum is housed in a building built over an area of , which was established in 1943 by the French colonial administration. Its coverage includes all the palaces within an area of , and particularly the palaces of King Guézo and King Glèlè. The museum has 1,050 exhibits, most of these belonged to the kings who ruled Danhomè. The museum has many exhibits, which represent the culture of the Kingdom of Dahomey. Some of the significant exhibits are appliquéd “king” quilt, traditional drums, and paintings of ceremonies and the war between France and Dahomey.[
]
Restitutions from French collections and financial support for a new museum
On 24 December, 2020, the French government enacted a new law that allows for the permanent restitution of several cultural objects from French collections to Senegal
Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭 (Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 ...
and the Republic of Benin
Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Republic of Dahomey, Dahomey, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burki ...
. Following the 2018 report on the restitution of African cultural heritage
''The Restitution of African Cultural Heritage. Toward a New Relational Ethics'' (in French: ''Rapport sur la restitution du patrimoine culturel africain. Vers une nouvelle éthique relationnelle'') is a report written by Senegalese academic and ...
, 26 statues that had been looted
Looting is the act of stealing, or the taking of goods by force, typically in the midst of a military, political, or other social crisis, such as war, natural disasters (where law and civil enforcement are temporarily ineffective), or rioting. ...
by French troops during the sacking of the Royal Palaces of Abomey in 1892 and donated by the French colonel Alfred Dodds to a predecessor of the Musée du quai Branly in Paris, constitute the first permanent restitutions under the new law. Further, a loan of 20 million Euros from the French Development Agency
The French Development Agency (french: Agence française de développement, AFD) is a public financial institution that implements the policy defined by the French Government. It works to fight poverty and promote sustainable development. This pub ...
was allocated for a new museum in Abomey
Abomey is the capital of the Zou Department of Benin. The commune of Abomey covers an area of 142 square kilometres and, as of 2012, had a population of 90,195 people.
Abomey houses the Royal Palaces of Abomey, a collection of small traditional ...
.
The 26 cultural artifacts were repatriated to Benin and starting in early 2022 were on display at the Benin's Palais de la Marina in Cotonou
Cotonou (; fon, Kútɔ̀nú) is a city in Benin. Its official population count was 679,012 inhabitants in 2012; however, over two million people live in the larger urban area.
The urban area continues to expand, notably toward the west. The ci ...
. The artifacts have been scheduled to travel around the country and be on display in several museums over the following years, finally landing for permanent display in the Museum of the Epics of Amazons and Kings of Danhomè in Abomey. The decolonization of museums is part of a growing global movement to repatriate cultural property to their country of origin.
2009 damages by fire
On 21 January 2009, many of the buildings of the Royal Palaces were destroyed by a bushfire; although it was unknown where the fire had originated. The extent of the flames spread rapidly as a result of the Harmattan
The Harmattan is a season in West Africa that occurs between the end of November and the middle of March. It is characterized by the dry and dusty northeasterly trade wind, of the same name, which blows from the Sahara over West Africa into the ...
winds, and demolished the straw roof and framework of several of the surrounding buildings. Tombs belonging to Kings Agonglo
Agonglo was a King of the Kingdom of Dahomey, in present-day Benin, from 1789 until 1797. Agonglo took over from his father King Kpengla in 1789 and inherited many of the economic problems that developed during Kpengla's reign. Because of the ...
and Ghezo
Ghezo, also spelled Gezo, was King of Dahomey (present-day Republic of Benin) from 1818 until 1859. Ghezo replaced his brother Adandozan (who ruled from 1797 to 1818) as king through a coup with the assistance of the Brazilian slave trader F ...
and their wives were also destroyed in the flames.
Authorities acted swiftly in a state of emergency to discuss plans to restore the dilapidated
Dilapidation is a term meaning a destructive event to a building, but more particularly used in the plural in English law for
# the waste committed by the incumbent of an ecclesiastical living
# the disrepair for which a tenant is usually liable ...
buildings. Such plans included the desiccation
Desiccation () is the state of extreme dryness, or the process of extreme drying. A desiccant is a hygroscopic (attracts and holds water) substance that induces or sustains such a state in its local vicinity in a moderately sealed container.
...
of water from the structural remains, and fire extinguishing equipment to aid in the prevention of similar incidents. Restoration works were supported by International Organisations, as a request from the Benin Authorities and the World Heritage Centre
UNESCO Headquarters, or Maison de l'UNESCO, is a building inaugurated on 3 November 1958 at number 7 Place de Fontenoy in Paris, France, to serve as the headquarters for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) ...
.
Conservation and protection
Extensive conservation work, extensions of buildings and collections have been carried out since 1992. The Italian Agency for Development Cooperation has been a generous donor, financing it under the “PREMA-Abomey programme”. Conservation work and the enhancement of buildings and collections has been implemented since 1992. This work was possible due to funds to an amount of US$450,000 arranged through UNESCO trust. Other donors who also contributed to the work were ICCROM's PREMA programme, the Getty Conservation Institute
The Getty Conservation Institute (GCI), located in Los Angeles, California, is a program of the J. Paul Getty Trust. It is headquartered at the Getty Center but also has facilities at the Getty Villa, and commenced operation in 1985.J. Paul Getty T ...
and Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
.[
The ]bas-reliefs
Relief is a sculptural method in which the sculpted pieces are bonded to a solid background of the same material. The term ''relief'' is from the Latin verb ''relevo'', to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is to give the impression that the ...
that once decorated the palaces have been restored with special efforts of the Getty Conservation Institute, since 1993; in one palace as many as fifty of the fifty-six bas-reliefs have been conserved with "hands-on" involvement of the members of the Benin Cultural Heritage staff. Many of the artists employed at the palaces came from the Ouémé area.
In August 2007, Republic of Benin adopted Law No. 2007-20 of 23 on the protection of cultural heritage and natural heritage of cultural significance. In 2006, the City of Abomey decreed an urban and planning regulation, which provides a secure framework for the protection of the site. The site of the Royal Palaces of Abomey has always included sacred spaces that are respected by the royal families and populations. The organisation of ritual ceremonies is another manner of appropriate safeguarding.
Gallery
File:Abomey-Palais de Simbodji.jpg, Simbodji Palace after the fire (1895)
File:The célébration at Abomey(1908). - Dance of the Fon fêtiche-women.jpg, Dance of the Fon women during celebrations
File:Voodoo-Altar.jpg, Voodoo-Altar in Abomey, Benin.
References
External links
Webpage about the restitutions of cultural heritage from Abomey
by the Musée du quai Banly, Paris
{{Authority control
World Heritage Sites in Benin
French West Africa
Residential buildings in Benin
Zou Department