# List of World Heritage Sites in Benin

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites are places of importance to cultural or natural heritage as described in the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, established in 1972. Cultural heritage consists of monuments (such as architectural works, monumental sculptures, or inscriptions), groups of buildings, and sites (including archaeological sites). Natural features (consisting of physical and biological formations), geological and physiographical formations (including habitats of threatened species of animals and plants), and natural sites which are important from the point of view of science, conservation or natural beauty, are defined as natural heritage. Benin accepted the convention on June 14, 1982, making its historical sites eligible for inclusion on the list.
Benin has three World Heritage Sites and a further five sites on the tentative list. The first site was added to the list in 1985. This was the Royal Palaces of Abomey that was immediately listed as endangered because of the damage to the property in a 1984 tornado. Following a careful restoration, the site was removed from the endangered list in 2007. The other two sites are transnational. The W National Park was originally listed independently in Niger in 1996. In 2017, the site was extended to include the Arli National Park in Burkina Faso and Pendjari National Park in Benin to form the W-Arly-Pendjari Complex. Koutammakou, the Land of the Batammariba was initially listed independently in Togo and expanded in 2023 to include the sites across the border in Benin. The W-Arly-Pendjari Complex is listed for its natural significance while the other two are cultural sites. Benin has served on the World Heritage Committee twice.

## World Heritage Sites

UNESCO lists sites under ten criteria; each entry must meet at least one of the criteria. Criteria i through vi are cultural, and vii through x are natural.
World Heritage Sites :
| Site | Location (department) | Year listed | UNESCO data | Description |
| Royal Palaces of Abomey | Zou | 1985 | 323bis; iii, iv (cultural) | The Kingdom of Dahomey existed between 1625 and 1900 and was a major regional power. The complex of palaces, the capital of the 12 kings, consists of two components, surrounded by cob walls. There are ten palaces that are decorated by polychrome bas-reliefs. The complex also includes ceremonial sites and storage facilities for the treasures of the kingdom. The palaces are no longer inhabited but some buildings serve as a museum. Immediately in 1985, the site was listed as endangered because of the damage to the property in a 1984 tornado. Following a careful restoration, the site was removed from the endangered list in 2007. |
| W-Arly-Pendjari Complex* | Atakora | 2017 | 749ter; ix, x (natural) | This site comprises the W National Park, which was initially listed independently in Niger in 1996, and Arli National Park in Burkina Faso and Pendjari National Park (pictured) in Benin, which were added in 2017. The area covers large expanses of Sudano-Sahelian savanna with grasslands, wood savanna, shrublands, riparian forests, and gallery forests. The landscape has been shaped by human activity for tens of thousands of years, with fires being crucial for maintaining diverse vegetation. The parks are home to healthy populations of large mammals, including African elephant, lion, cheetah, African wild dog, and topi antelope. |
| Koutammakou, the Land of the Batammariba* | Atakora | 2023 | 1140bis; v, vi (cultural) | The cultural landscape of Koutammakou, on the border between Togo and Benin, has been shaped by the Batammariba people who have lived here since the 6th century. It is characterized by the mudbrick tower houses called takienta. People are strongly connected with the natural environment and continue practicing ancient rituals and traditions. There are sacred sites, funerary sites, water retaining walls, and terraced hills. The site was initially independently listed in Togo in 2004, the area in Benin was added in 2023. |

## Tentative List

In addition to sites inscribed on the World Heritage List, member states can maintain a list of tentative sites that they may consider for nomination. Nominations for the World Heritage List are only accepted if the site was previously listed on the tentative list. Benin maintains five properties on its tentative list.