Discover · History · Ouidah, Benin
A Portuguese enclave survived here longer than anywhere else on the continent. Until 1961, a year after Benin's independence.
Built in the early 18th century under the name Fort of São João Baptista de Ajudá, this building remained Portuguese territory long after the rest of the continent had moved through colonization and then independence. A historical anomaly few visitors suspect when discovering its ochre walls.
The fort has changed function several times: trading post, administrative office, and since 1967, the history museum of Ouidah. Its collections retrace the history of the kingdom of Dahomey, the exchanges with Europe and Brazil, and the memory of the slave trade that unfolded on this same coast.
A major project is currently transforming the site: the International Museum of Memory and Slavery is set to open there, one of the most significant memorial museum infrastructures ever built in West Africa. Our guides follow the project's progress and integrate it into the itinerary as soon as the official timeline allows.
Visit duration
1 hour
Access
Central Ouidah, close to the Python Temple.
Coordinates
6.3591, 2.0902
Our certified Vodun guides open the meaning behind every sacred site of Ouidah. What you will see, and what we will help you understand.