Island of Gorée

World Heritage

Senegal

🎧 Listen to Introduction

Gorée Island is located off the coast of Senegal, across the sea from Dakar. From the 15th to the 19th century, it was the largest slave trading center on the African coast. The island was ruled by Portugal, the Netherlands, Britain and France, and its architecture is characterized by the contrast between the gloomy slave quarters and the elegant houses of the slave traders. Today, it remains a relic of human exploitation and a refuge for reconciliation.