| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
|---|---|
 The royal compound in Abomey | |
| Location | Abomey, Benin |
| Criteria | Cultural: (iii), (iv) |
| Reference | 323bis |
| Inscription | 1985 (9th Session) |
| Extensions | 2007 |
| Endangered | 1985–2007[1] |
| Area | 47.6 ha (118 acres) |
| Buffer zone | 181.4 ha (448 acres) |
| Coordinates | 7°11′11.22″N 1°59′38.41″E / 7.1864500°N 1.9940028°E |
  Location of Royal Palaces of Abomey in Benin | |
The Royal Palaces of Abomey are 12 palaces spread over an area of 40 hectares (100 acres) at the heart of the Abomey town in Benin, formerly the capital of the West African Kingdom of Dahomey.[2][3][4] The Kingdom was founded in 1625 by the Fon people who developed it into a powerful military and commercial empire, which dominated trade with European slave traders on the Slave Coast until the late 19th century, to whom they sold their prisoners of war.[5] At its peak the palaces could accommodate up to 8000 people.[6] The King's palace included a two-story building known as the "cowrie house" or akuehue.[7] 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.
UNESCO had inscribed the palaces on the List of World Heritage Sites in Africa. Following this, the site had to be included under the List of World Heritage in Danger since Abomey was hit by a tornado on 15 March 1984, when the royal enclosure and museums, particularly the King Guezo Portico, the Assins Room, King's tomb 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.[8]
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.
- ^ Royal Palaces of Abomey and Kathmandu removed from Danger List at UNESCO website
- ^ "Royal Palaces of Abomey". Unesco.org. Retrieved 10 May 2011.
- ^ "evaluation report on Royal Palaces of Abomey" (PDF). Unesco.org. Retrieved 10 May 2011.
- ^ Swadling, Mark (1992). Masterworks of man & nature: preserving our world heritage. Harper-MacRae. ISBN 978-0-646-05376-9. Retrieved 15 April 2011.
- ^ Royal Palaces of Abomey, Benin Save Our History The History Channel. Accessed 14 January 2008
- ^ Baker, Jonathan (1997). Rural-urban dynamics in francophone Africa. Nordic Africa Institute. p. 85. ISBN 978-91-7106-401-1. Retrieved 15 April 2011.
- ^ Stiansen, Endre; Guyer, Jane I. (1999). Credit, currencies, and culture: African financial institutions in historical perspective. Nordic Africa Institute. p. 30. ISBN 978-91-7106-442-4. Retrieved 15 April 2011.
- ^ "Decision - 31COM 8C.3 - Update of the list of the World Heritage in danger - removal - Royal Palaces of Abomey, Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve, Kathmandu Valley, Everglades National Park". Unesco.org. Retrieved 10 May 2011.