5/5 Nakidel Yamine Ben K. 1 year ago on Google • 208 reviews
The
island
of
Gorée
lies
off
the
coast
of
Senegal,
opposite
Dakar.
From
the
15th
to
the
19th
century,
it
was
the
largest
slave-trading
centre
on
the
African
coast.
Ruled
in
succession
by
the
Portuguese,
Dutch,
English
and
French,
its
architecture
is
characterized
by
the
contrast
between
the
grim
slave-quarters
and
the
elegant
houses
of
the
slave
traders.
Today
it
continues
to
serve
as
a
reminder
of
human
exploitation
and
as
a
sanctuary
for
reconciliation.
The
island
of
Gorée
lies
off
the
coast
of
Senegal,
opposite
Dakar.
From
the
15th
to
the
19th
century,
it
was
the
largest
slave-trading
centre
on
the
African
coast.
Ruled
in
succession
by
the
Portuguese,
Dutch,
English
and
French,
its
architecture
is
characterized
by
the
contrast
between
the
grim
slave-quarters
and
the
elegant
houses
of
the
slave
traders.
Today
it
continues
to
serve
as
a
reminder
of
human
exploitation
and
as
a
sanctuary
for
reconciliation.
The
Island
of
Gorée
testifies
to
an
unprecedented
human
experience
in
the
history
of
humanity.
Indeed,
for
the
universal
conscience,
this
“memory
island”
is
the
symbol
of
the
slave
trade
with
its
cortege
of
suffering,
tears
and
death.
The
painful
memories
of
the
Atlantic
slave
trade
are
crystallized
in
this
small
island
of
28
hectares
lying
3.5
km
off
the
coast
from
Dakar.
Gorée
owes
its
singular
destiny
to
the
extreme
centrality
of
its
geographical
position
between
the
North
and
the
South,
and
to
its
excellent
strategic
position
offering
a
safe
haven
for
anchoring
ships,
hence
the
name
“Good
Rade”.
Thus,
since
the
15th
century
it
has
been
prized
by
various
European
nations
that
have
successively
used
it
as
a
stopover
or
slave
market.
First
terminus
of
the
“homeoducs”
who
drained
the
slaves
from
the
hinterland,
Gorée
was
at
the
centre
of
the
rivalry
between
European
nations
for
control
of
the
slave
trade.
Until
the
abolition
of
the
trade
in
the
French
colonies,
the
Island
was
a
warehouse
consisting
of
over
a
dozen
slave
houses.
Amongst
the
tangible
elements
that
reflect
Gorée’s
universal
value
are,
notably,
the
Castle,
a
rocky
plateau
covered
with
fortifications
which
dominate
the
Island;
the
Relais
de
l’Espadon,
former
residence
of
the
French
governor;
etc…
The
Island
of
Gorée
is
now
a
pilgrimage
destination
for
the
African
diaspora,
a
foyer
for
contact
between
the
West
and
Africa,
and
a
space
for
exchange
and
dialogue
between
cultures
through
the
confrontation
of
ideals
of
reconciliation
and
forgiveness.