Royal Palaces of Abomey
Encyclopedia
The Royal Palaces of Abomey are 12 palaces spread over a 40 hectares (98.8 acre) area at the heart of the Abomey
town in Benin
, formerly the capital of the West African Kingdom of Dahomey. The Kingdom was founded in 1625 by the Fon people
who developed it into a powerful military and commercial empire, which dominated trade with Europe
an slave traders
on the Slave Coast until the late 19th century, to whom they sold their prisoners of war. At its peak the palaces could accommodate for up to 8000 people. The King's palace included a two-story building known as the "cowrie house" or akuehue.
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.
who had founded the city.
According to folklore, the descendents 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
in Tado (now Tago town). Recorded history is, however, traced to the 17th century to two of their descendants, namely Ganyé Hessou
and Dako
. Danhomè Houégbadja (1645–1685) was the king who established the kingdom in the Abomey plateau and set the legal framework for the kingdom’s functioning, political role, succession rules and so forth.
King Agadja
(1708–1740) defeated two kingdoms namely, the Allada
in 1724 and Savi
in 1727. This resulted in killing of several prisoners. Many of the prisoners were also sold as slaves at Ouidah
, then Gléwé. These wars marked the beginning of the dominance of Dahomey's slave trade (which was carried out through the port of Whydah
, the capital of Savi
) with the Europe
ans.
In the 19th century, however, with the antislavery movement becoming a force to reckon with, 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 derivatives.
In 1894, France
invaded Dahomey
. Initially, Dahomey won many battles when even the chief of the French army
was killed. However, Dahomey finally succumbed to superior forces of the French Army. It became a colony of France. King Béhanzin
, the last independent reigning king of Dahomey, after getting defeated by the French colonial forces, set fire to Abomey. The French eventually deported him to Martinique
. His successor King Agooli Agbo
could rule only till his deportation to Gabon
in 1900. In 1961, when the present day Bénin attained independence from France, Dahomey's glory came alive.
All events of the kingdom were recorded and followed through the series of polychrome
earthen bas-reliefs.
s, and protected by a ditch 5 feet (1.5 m) deep, filled with a dense growth of prickly acacia
, 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 1.5 foot (0.4572 m), 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
, bamboo
, iroko
and mahogany
species. Roof was made of straw and sheet-metal.
and their empire, relating the military
victories and power of each king and documenting the Fon people's myths, custom
s and ritual
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.
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.
inscribed the Royal Palaces of Abomey under the List of World Heritage Sites 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.
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 fully 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.
.
The bas-reliefs 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 Weme area.
Abomey
When UNESCO designated the royal palaces of Abomey as a World Heritage Site in 1985 it statedFrom 1993, 50 of the 56 bas-reliefs that formerly decorated the walls of King Glèlè have been located and replaced on the rebuilt structure...
town in Benin
Benin
Benin , officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It borders Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north. Its small southern coastline on the Bight of Benin is where a majority of the population is located...
, formerly the capital of the West African Kingdom of Dahomey. The Kingdom was founded in 1625 by the Fon people
Fon people
The Fon people, or Fon nu, are a major West African ethnic and linguistic group in the country of Benin, and southwest Nigeria, made up of more than 3,500,000 people. The Fon language is the main language spoken in Southern Benin, and is a member of the Gbe language group...
who developed it into a powerful military and commercial empire, which dominated trade with Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an slave traders
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
on the Slave Coast until the late 19th century, to whom they sold their prisoners of war. At its peak the palaces could accommodate for up to 8000 people. The King's palace included a two-story building known as the "cowrie house" or akuehue.
UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
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.
History
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 HouegbadjaHouegbadja
Aho Houegbadja was the third King of Dahomey. He succeeded his uncle, Dakodonou, and ruled from 1645 to 1685.Houegbadja was the first of the dynasty to set up the kingdom in Abomey proper: he founded the city by building his palace near the area of Guedevi, a few kilometers to the northwest of...
who had founded the city.
According to folklore, the descendents of the royal family of Abomey who built the 12 Royal Palaces of Abomey are the progeny of Princess Aligbonon of Tado
Tado
Tado is a village in south east Togo, near the border with Benin.Tradition states that Tado was the birthplace of the Aja people at some point in the 12th or 13th century. Today the Aja populate the south part of Togo and Benin...
and a panther. Their kingdom existed in the southern part of the present day Republic of Benin
Republic of Benin
The short-lived Republic of Benin, in Nigeria's coastal Bight of Benin, was named after its capital Benin City. It was known as Mid-Western state in Nigeria until August 1967 when it was occupied by Biafra as its forces advanced towards Lagos...
in Tado (now Tago town). Recorded history is, however, traced to the 17th century to two of their descendants, namely Ganyé Hessou
Gangnihessou
Gangnihessou, or Ganye Hessou, is the first of the traditional "twelve kings of Dahomey." Dahomey was an African kingdom situated in what is now Benin.- Descent :...
and Dako
Dakodonou
Dakodonou was the second King of Dahomey. He ruled from 1620 to 1645. In traditional Abomey stories, Dakodonou overthrew his brother, the previous King Gangnihessou, when the ruler was absent from the capital on a tour of the kingdom. Dakodonou is portrayed as a brutal and violent man...
. Danhomè Houégbadja (1645–1685) was the king who established the kingdom in the Abomey plateau and set the legal framework for the kingdom’s functioning, political role, succession rules and so forth.
King Agadja
Agadja
Dossou Agadja was the fifth King of Dahomey. He succeeded Houessou Akaba, and ruled from 1708 to 1740. Akaba's only son, Agbo Sassa, was only ten years old when Akaba died, so as Akaba's brother, Agadja took the throne to become the fifth king...
(1708–1740) defeated two kingdoms namely, the Allada
Allada
Allada is a town, arrondissement, and commune located in the Atlantique Department of Benin.Allada was the capital of the most powerful king in Ajaland before it fell to the armies of Dahomey....
in 1724 and Savi
Savi
Savi was the capital of the Kingdom of Whydah prior to its capture by the forces of Dahomey in 1727.Prior to the conquest of the city it had a circumference of about four miles...
in 1727. This resulted in killing of several prisoners. Many of the prisoners were also sold as slaves at Ouidah
Ouidah
Ouidah , also Whydah or Juda, is a city on the Atlantic coast of Benin.The commune covers an area of 364 square kilometres and as of 2002 had a population of 76,555 people.-History:...
, then Gléwé. These wars marked the beginning of the dominance of Dahomey's slave trade (which was carried out through the port of Whydah
Whydah
Whydah may refer in English to:* The Viduidae birds, also called indigobirds* Ouidah, city and colonial fort in present Benin* Kingdom of Whydah, which included Ouidah but was headquartered in Savi...
, the capital of Savi
Savi
Savi was the capital of the Kingdom of Whydah prior to its capture by the forces of Dahomey in 1727.Prior to the conquest of the city it had a circumference of about four miles...
) with the Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
ans.
In the 19th century, however, with the antislavery movement becoming a force to reckon with, King Guézo
Ghezo
Ghezo was the ninth King of Dahomey , considered one of the greatest of the twelve historical kings. He ruled from 1818 to 1858. His name before ascending to the throne was Gakpe....
(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 derivatives.
In 1894, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
invaded Dahomey
Dahomey
Dahomey was a country in west Africa in what is now the Republic of Benin. The Kingdom of Dahomey was a powerful west African state that was founded in the seventeenth century and survived until 1894. From 1894 until 1960 Dahomey was a part of French West Africa. The independent Republic of Dahomey...
. Initially, Dahomey won many battles when even the chief of the French army
French Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
was killed. However, Dahomey finally succumbed to superior forces of the French Army. It became a colony of France. King Béhanzin
Behanzin
Béhanzin is considered the eleventh King of Dahomey . Upon taking the throne, he changed his name from Kondo. He succeeded his father, Glele, and ruled from 1889 to 1894. Behanzin was Abomey's last independent ruler established through traditional power structures...
, the last independent reigning king of Dahomey, after getting defeated by the French colonial forces, set fire to Abomey. The French eventually deported him to Martinique
Martinique
Martinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, with a land area of . Like Guadeloupe, it is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. To the northwest lies Dominica, to the south St Lucia, and to the southeast Barbados...
. His successor King Agooli Agbo
Agoli-agbo
Agoli-agbo is considered to have been the twelfth, and last, King of Dahomey. He took the throne after the previous king, Behanzin, went into exile after a failed war with France. He was in power from 1894 to 1900....
could rule only till his deportation to Gabon
Gabon
Gabon , officially the Gabonese Republic is a state in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, and with the Republic of the Congo curving around the east and south. The Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean is to the west...
in 1900. In 1961, when the present day Bénin attained independence from France, Dahomey's glory came alive.
All events of the kingdom were recorded and followed through the series of polychrome
Polychrome
Polychrome is one of the terms used to describe the use of multiple colors in one entity. It has also been defined as "The practice of decorating architectural elements, sculpture, etc., in a variety of colors." Polychromatic light is composed of a number of different wavelengths...
earthen bas-reliefs.
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 practice.Layout
The town where the palaces were built was surrounded by a mud wall with a circumference estimated at 6 miles (9.7 km), pierced by six gateGate
A gate is a point of entry to a space enclosed by walls, or a moderately sized opening in a fence. Gates may prevent or control entry or exit, or they may be merely decorative. Other terms for gate include yett and port...
s, and protected by a ditch 5 feet (1.5 m) deep, filled with a dense growth of prickly acacia
Acacia
Acacia is a genus of shrubs and trees belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae, first described in Africa by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1773. Many non-Australian species tend to be thorny, whereas the majority of Australian acacias are not...
, 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 1.5 foot (0.4572 m), 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
Palm may refer to :* Palm, the central region of the front of the hand, see Hand#Human anatomy or metacarpus.-People:* August Palm , Swedish socialist activist* Conny Palm, , Swedish electrical engineer and statistician...
, bamboo
Bamboo
Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....
, iroko
Iroko
Iroko is a large hardwood tree from west coast of tropical Africa. It is one of the woods sometimes referred to as African Teak, although it is unrelated to the teak family. The wood color is initially yellow but darkens to a richer brown over time....
and mahogany
Mahogany
The name mahogany is used when referring to numerous varieties of dark-colored hardwood. It is a native American word originally used for the wood of the species Swietenia mahagoni, known as West Indian or Cuban mahogany....
species. Roof was made of straw and sheet-metal.
Bass reliefs
The bass reliefs functioned as a record book (in the absence of written documents) to record the significant events in the evolution of the Fon peopleFon people
The Fon people, or Fon nu, are a major West African ethnic and linguistic group in the country of Benin, and southwest Nigeria, made up of more than 3,500,000 people. The Fon language is the main language spoken in Southern Benin, and is a member of the Gbe language group...
and their empire, relating the military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
victories and power of each king and documenting the Fon people's myths, custom
Custom
Custom may refer to:* Convention , a set of agreed, stipulated or generally accepted rules, norms, standards or criteria, often taking the form of a custom* Customization , anything made or modified to personal taste...
s and ritual
Ritual
A ritual is a set of actions, performed mainly for their symbolic value. It may be prescribed by a religion or by the traditions of a community. The term usually excludes actions which are arbitrarily chosen by the performers....
s. However, in 1892, in defiance of French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
occupation, King Behanzin
Behanzin
Béhanzin is considered the eleventh King of Dahomey . Upon taking the throne, he changed his name from Kondo. He succeeded his father, Glele, and ruled from 1889 to 1894. Behanzin was Abomey's last independent ruler established through traditional power structures...
(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.
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, UNESCOUNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
inscribed the Royal Palaces of Abomey under the List of World Heritage Sites 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.
Museum
The Abomey Historical Museum is housed in a building built over an area of 5 acres (2 ha), which was established in 1943 by the French colonial administration. Its coverage includes all the palaces within an area of 40 hectares (98.8 acre), and particularly the palaces of King GuézoGhezo
Ghezo was the ninth King of Dahomey , considered one of the greatest of the twelve historical kings. He ruled from 1818 to 1858. His name before ascending to the throne was Gakpe....
and King Glèlè
Glele
Badohou, who took the throne name Glele, is considered to be the tenth King of the Aja kingdom of Dahomey . He succeeded his father, Ghezo, and ruled from 1858 to 1889....
. The Museum has 1,050 exhibits, most of these belonged to the kings who ruled Danhomè. The Museum has many exhibits, which fully 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.
Conservation
Extensive conservation work, extensions of buildings and collections have been carried out since 1992. The Italian Cooperation programme 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 and SwedenSweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
.
The bas-reliefs that once decorated the palaces have been restored with special efforts of the Getty Conservation Institute
Getty Conservation Institute
The Getty Conservation Institute , 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. The GCI is a private international research institution dedicated to...
, 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 Weme area.