Porto-NovoCapital
Benin · Country profile
Porto-Novo is the historic seat of government of Benin, the stately low-rise capital on the shallow waters of the coast of the Gulf of Guinea, where the red-earth colonial streets, the Afro-Brazilian palaces and the woven streets of the Yoruba-founded town spread along the Lagos lagoon. Chosen by the French as the colonial headquarters of the territory, it remained the political capital after the independence, while the larger coffers town carried the commercial life. Its great palace and the ethnographic museum, its python temple and its baroque churches give the capital a rare, layered charm, and the lake villages and the waters of the lagoon spread around the town. Quiet, dignified and wonderfully historic, Porto-Novo is the understated constitutional heart of the Republic of Benin.
About Porto-Novo
Porto-Novo is the capital of Benin. The city's documented population is around 264,000 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the West African CFA franc (XOF) and French is spoken; the dialling code is +229.
The Palace of the King and the Museum of the Ethnography
The capital sits calmly beside the lagoon while the country business runs from the bigger commercial hub, so the days here feel slower, lower and more historic. The essential circuit takes in the royal palace with its ethnographic museum, the Afro-Brazilian church and the shrines of the town, and the market lanes of the centre where the everyday trade of the region moves. The piers of the lagoon with their dugouts run the water life of the town, and the famous lake village with its stilted houses lies within an easy trip across the water. It is a laid-back, characterful capital for those who like a city with a quiet story.
The Temple of the Python and the Churches of the Brazilian
The climate alternates between the long rainy spells and the dry, dusty spells of the coast, with the harmattan wind shaking the winter months, and the raised heat of the spring marking the hottest season. The franc of the west African union is the currency, the French the language and the Fon and the Yoruba the great local tongues. The palace and the temple sit in the heart of the town, while the lake villages and the wetlands of the south need a boat or a driver arranged in advance. Light cotton clothing, rain gear for the wet seasons and modest dress for the shrines and the mosques complete the sensible preparation.
The Village of the Stilts and the Waters of the Lagoon
The great palace of the king of the town, the colonial-era palace house with the famous gabled former shrine that now hosts the museum of the ethnography, with its historical cannon, its royal drums and its bronze treasures, is the finest museum of the country, while the temple of the pythons with its resident sacred snakes guards the vodun faith of the region. The cathedral and the Afro-Brazilian church with their painted ceilings recall the freed families who built the town, and the market of the centre with its food, its fabrics and its arts crowns the everyday commerce. The stilted village, the mangroves of the lagoon and the beach routes of the coast fill the wider days, and the vodun festivals of the year bring the whole country to the capital. A gentle, dignified old capital of the coastal republic, Porto-Novo repays the traveller who slows down.
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- Country
- Benin
- Population
- 264,000
- Capital
- Porto-Novo
- Region
- Africa
- Currency
- West African CFA franc (XOF)
- Languages
- French
- Calling code
- +229
- Country code
- BJ
Frequently asked questions
Is Porto-Novo the capital of Benin?
Yes — Porto-Novo is the capital of Benin.
What currency do I need in Porto-Novo?
The local currency is the West African CFA franc (XOF). Languages spoken in Benin include French.
What is the dialling code for Benin?
The international dialling code for Benin is +229.
Flying out of Porto-Novo? Check the entry requirements for your destination in our entry requirements tool before you fly.