Abomey: Royal Palaces and Living Traditions

Abomey brings together the history of the Kingdom of Danxomè, memorial sites, and living traditions. The Royal Palaces, Place Goho, and the Musée Historique d’Abomey each offer a different focus. Consider what you want your trip to centre on: the layout of the palaces, the memory of resistance, or the city’s cultural connections. This can help you decide whether Abomey is the right destination for your holiday rental search.

The Royal Palaces: a complex of courtyards and palaces

The complex covers 47 hectares and consists of ten palaces. Some stand side by side, while others were built one above another in accordance with the succession of rulers. The complex is shaped not only by its size, but also by the sequence of rulers.

The palaces are laid out as a series of courtyards of increasing importance. Gates in the walls of the main enclosure lead to each courtyard. This spatial arrangement gives the complex its own structure: the palaces, courtyards, and enclosure together form the historic seat of power, rather than standing alone.

The Royal Palaces served as the decision-making centre of the kingdom and as a centre for the development of craft techniques. The kingdom’s treasures were also kept there. The complex thus connects political history with craftsmanship and royal collections—three different perspectives on the role of the palace complex.

Memorial Sites and Collections in Abomey

A historic memorial on Place Goho commemorates the Kingdom of Danxomè’s resistance to French colonisation. An imposing statue of King Gbèhanzin stands in the square. The site connects the memory of resistance with a specific link to the history of the kingdom. The Chameleon Basilica is also one of Abomey’s iconic attractions.

The Musée Historique d’Abomey houses royal objects such as thrones and intricately carved stools. Other exhibits include embroidered wall hangings depicting the history of the kingdom, command staffs bearing royal sayings, portable ancestral altars, royal jewellery, sabres, and other weapons. The collection thus encompasses objects from different areas of royal life.

Abomey was the former capital of the Kingdom of Danxomè. Vodun temples embody a living tradition there, closely connected with the kingdom’s history and the identity of the Fon people. This cultural context adds to the picture offered by the palaces and memorial sites.

More to explore in the wider Zou destination

Within the wider Zou destination, the Royal Palaces of Abomey also tell the story of a long succession of rulers: founded in the 17th century, they were the successive residences of twelve rulers of the Kingdom of Danxomè. Carved bas-reliefs and historical collections trace the history of the kings and Amazons of Danxomè.

Other places to explore in the wider Zou destination include Covè and Bohicon. Attractions in Covè include thermal springs with a small waterfall of 36-degree water, as well as the palace of King Zéhé d’Agolin. In Bohicon, the underground village of Agongointo-Zoungoudo was discovered in 1998 during roadworks. Its man-made underground spaces lie several metres below ground; the village comprises 56 underground houses called “Ahwando” across approximately seven hectares. These places offer a different focus from Abomey’s palaces and memorial sites.

If you want to focus on the Royal Palaces, Place Goho, the museum, and the city’s traditions, you can narrow your holiday rental search to Abomey. Also consider whether Covè or Bohicon should feature in your travel plans.

Go to the wider travel overview: Abomey.