Canoes anchored at the embarkation point in Abomey-Calavi ready to sail to the lake village of Ganvie, Benin

Ganvie, Benin, Africa; November 10, 2019; Ganvie is a lake village in Benin, Africa, lying in Lake Nokoué, near Cotonou. It is probably the largest lake village in Africa. Stilt houses are raised on piles all over the lake. The village was created in the sixteenth or seventeenth centuries by the Tofinu people who took to the lake to avoid Fon warriors who were capturing slaves for sale to European traders. The village was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List on October 31, 1996 in the Cultural category.

Villagers sailing on traditional canoes through the channels of the lake village of Ganvie, Benin

Ganvie, Benin, Africa; November 10, 2019; Ganvie is a lake village in Benin, Africa, lying in Lake Nokoué, near Cotonou. It is probably the largest lake village in Africa. Stilt houses are raised on piles all over the lake. The village was created in the sixteenth or seventeenth centuries by the Tofinu people who took to the lake to avoid Fon warriors who were capturing slaves for sale to European traders. The village was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List on October 31, 1996 in the Cultural category.

Villagers sailing on traditional canoes through the channels of the lake village of Ganvie, Benin

Ganvie, Benin, Africa; November 10, 2019; Ganvie is a lake village in Benin, Africa, lying in Lake Nokoué, near Cotonou. It is probably the largest lake village in Africa. Stilt houses are raised on piles all over the lake. The village was created in the sixteenth or seventeenth centuries by the Tofinu people who took to the lake to avoid Fon warriors who were capturing slaves for sale to European traders. The village was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List on October 31, 1996 in the Cultural category.

Villager sailing on traditional canoes through the channels of the lake village of Ganvie, Benin

Ganvie, Benin, Africa; November 10, 2019; Ganvie is a lake village in Benin, Africa, lying in Lake Nokoué, near Cotonou. It is probably the largest lake village in Africa. Stilt houses are raised on piles all over the lake. The village was created in the sixteenth or seventeenth centuries by the Tofinu people who took to the lake to avoid Fon warriors who were capturing slaves for sale to European traders. The village was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List on October 31, 1996 in the Cultural category.

Women attending a church service in a stillt house turned into a church in the lake village of Ganvie, Benin

Ganvie, Benin, Africa; November 10, 2019; Ganvie is a lake village in Benin, Africa, lying in Lake Nokoué, near Cotonou. It is probably the largest lake village in Africa. Stilt houses are raised on piles all over the lake. The village was created in the sixteenth or seventeenth centuries by the Tofinu people who took to the lake to avoid Fon warriors who were capturing slaves for sale to European traders. The village was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List on October 31, 1996 in the Cultural category.

A family at their stilt house with a canoe anchored in front of the house in the lake village of Ganvie, Benin

Ganvie, Benin, Africa; November 10, 2019; Ganvie is a lake village in Benin, Africa, lying in Lake Nokoué, near Cotonou. It is probably the largest lake village in Africa. Stilt houses are raised on piles all over the lake. The village was created in the sixteenth or seventeenth centuries by the Tofinu people who took to the lake to avoid Fon warriors who were capturing slaves for sale to European traders. The village was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List on October 31, 1996 in the Cultural category.

Group of children sailing on a traditional canoe through the channels of the lake village of Ganvie, Benin

Ganvie, Benin, Africa; November 10, 2019; Ganvie is a lake village in Benin, Africa, lying in Lake Nokoué, near Cotonou. It is probably the largest lake village in Africa. Stilt houses are raised on piles all over the lake. The village was created in the sixteenth or seventeenth centuries by the Tofinu people who took to the lake to avoid Fon warriors who were capturing slaves for sale to European traders. The village was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List on October 31, 1996 in the Cultural category.

Villagers in front of colourful traditional canoes anchored in lake village of Ganvie, Benin

Ganvie, Benin, Africa; November 10, 2019; Ganvie is a lake village in Benin, Africa, lying in Lake Nokoué, near Cotonou. It is probably the largest lake village in Africa. Stilt houses are raised on piles all over the lake. The village was created in the sixteenth or seventeenth centuries by the Tofinu people who took to the lake to avoid Fon warriors who were capturing slaves for sale to European traders. The village was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List on October 31, 1996 in the Cultural category.

Villagers bathing in a canal in front of stilts houses and a canoe in the lake village of Ganvie, Benin

Ganvie, Benin, Africa; November 10, 2019; Ganvie is a lake village in Benin, Africa, lying in Lake Nokoué, near Cotonou. It is probably the largest lake village in Africa. Stilt houses are raised on piles all over the lake. The village was created in the sixteenth or seventeenth centuries by the Tofinu people who took to the lake to avoid Fon warriors who were capturing slaves for sale to European traders. The village was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List on October 31, 1996 in the Cultural category.

Boy playing in a stilt house in the lake village of Ganvie, Benin

Ganvie, Benin, Africa; November 10, 2019; Ganvie is a lake village in Benin, Africa, lying in Lake Nokoué, near Cotonou. It is probably the largest lake village in Africa. Stilt houses are raised on piles all over the lake. The village was created in the sixteenth or seventeenth centuries by the Tofinu people who took to the lake to avoid Fon warriors who were capturing slaves for sale to European traders. The village was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List on October 31, 1996 in the Cultural category.

Boy playing in a stilt house in the lake village of Ganvie, Benin

Ganvie, Benin, Africa; November 10, 2019; Ganvie is a lake village in Benin, Africa, lying in Lake Nokoué, near Cotonou. It is probably the largest lake village in Africa. Stilt houses are raised on piles all over the lake. The village was created in the sixteenth or seventeenth centuries by the Tofinu people who took to the lake to avoid Fon warriors who were capturing slaves for sale to European traders. The village was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List on October 31, 1996 in the Cultural category.

Villager sailing ona traditional canoe through the channels of the lake village of Ganvie, Benin

Ganvie, Benin, Africa; November 10, 2019; Ganvie is a lake village in Benin, Africa, lying in Lake Nokoué, near Cotonou. It is probably the largest lake village in Africa. Stilt houses are raised on piles all over the lake. The village was created in the sixteenth or seventeenth centuries by the Tofinu people who took to the lake to avoid Fon warriors who were capturing slaves for sale to European traders. The village was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List on October 31, 1996 in the Cultural category.

Villagers sailing on a traditional canoe through the channels of the lake village of Ganvie, Benin

Ganvie, Benin, Africa; November 10, 2019; Ganvie is a lake village in Benin, Africa, lying in Lake Nokoué, near Cotonou. It is probably the largest lake village in Africa. Stilt houses are raised on piles all over the lake. The village was created in the sixteenth or seventeenth centuries by the Tofinu people who took to the lake to avoid Fon warriors who were capturing slaves for sale to European traders. The village was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List on October 31, 1996 in the Cultural category.