The History and Heritage

Among the reasons to visit Benin, history and heritage are two of them. Every country has its own history and heritage. You should visit Porto-Novo, the capital of the Benin Republic, to learn about its history. The country, known as the Kingdom of Dahomey, has been through a variety of experiences. The Benin people passed through the establishment of Dutch and Portuguese trading posts. The country was colonized by France and went through various battles before gaining independence in 1960.

If you are a historian or someone who enjoys history, you should go to Benin right now. The Benin Republic has a sad history because it was a breeding ground for slavery. Over 2 million Beninese men, women, and children were sold as slaves. Dahomey's kings were behind it. Many were unable to return after the slave trade.

Benin was and continues to be known for its oral history traditions as well as its highly skilled craftsmanship and arts, particularly wood carving, weaving, and brass casting. When decorative plaques and sculptures (now known as the "Benin bronzes") were made to decorate the palace of the Oba in the sixteenth century, brass casting reached a particularly high level of aesthetic and technical sophistication.