ABOMEY MUSEUM - ROYAL PALACE

In the space of 300 years, no less than twelve palaces were built in the capital of the kingdom of Abomey, since every new sovereign who ascended the throne had to build a new palace near that of his predecessor. A gigantic royal city was thus built on more than 40 hectares, but the earthen constructions suffered greatly from the rains and even more from the fire deliberately set by Behanzin in 1893, at the time of the French invasion. Today, all that remains are the palaces of the kings Ghézo (1818-1858) and Glélé (1858-1889), the father of Béhanzin, in which this interesting museum has been set up. However, the site is under the protection of Unesco, which has classified it as a world heritage site and is continuing the restoration work begun by the French cooperation at one time.

It is in any case an excellent introduction to the history of the kingdom. The museum exhibits, in the buildings that have been renovated, objects that belonged to the various kings, such as parasols, tunics, jewelry ... In the room of thrones, which are carved in cheese wood, the most striking piece is the throne of Ghézo which is mounted on ... four human skulls. Yes, it must be said, they were not tender! And the women had nothing to envy to the men... The famous Amazons that we see in combat on applied canvases were formidable warriors, who, it is said, cut their breasts to be able to shoot better with a bow! In the same register, we learn that the walls of the jexo temple, which shelters the spirit of the king, were made with earth mixed with pearls, cowries and blood of the defeated enemy.

After passing through several rooms, including the weapons room and the council room of King Glélé, now the jewelry room, one reaches the court of the queens. In the center, there is a circular hut where the wives of Glélé were buried to join their deceased royal husbands, whose tomb is also located not far from there. At this point in the visit, the museum guide does not fail to remind us that we can make an offering to the king to honor his presence. Since, as everyone knows, the king does not die... he travels.

The other interest of the museum is to make us discover original works, like the famous polychrome bas-reliefs representing episodes of the reign of Glélé, the famous recades (the scepters, the king's commanding staffs) or the assin, these portable altars which can be dedicated to an ancestor or a divinity.

The tomb of King Behanzin. Since his remains were repatriated in 1928, the tomb of the last king of Dahomey has been located in the royal palace compound in Djimé, a neighborhood of Abomey. The burial hut was built in a large courtyard. Inside, a tomb bed is covered with a cloth. With the exception of a black and white photo of Behanzin, the tomb is completely bare. To access the tomb, you need an authorization. Do not hesitate to ask the tourist office for information, where the guides are very competent.

Royal audience. To request an audience, it is best to contact an agency introduced to the royal family or the tourist office. Depending on the time of year, this is sometimes possible.