Why I Hate Goree Island, Senegal Ultimate secret
Ile Goree, Senegal
Ile Goree Island is an oasis of calm with no cars, no noise, just pastel-colored houses, and narrow cobbled streets making it the main tourist attraction near Dakar. However, Goree’s history is far from idyllic, having played a key role in one of humanity’s greatest tragedies-The slave trade. Goree Island lies off the coast of Senegal, 3 kilometers away from the city of Dakar, and has an area of only 17 hectares. Goree Island was more than three centuries one of the slave markets that supplied the United States, the Caribbean, and Brazil. In 1444, it was invaded by the Portuguese. They used it as a docking port for their ships, until 1536 when they built one of the first slave houses. Later, Goree was conquered by the French and dominated it until the independence of Senegal in 1960.
Goree Island became a main slave trade location, where kidnapped people from different parts of West Africa were transferred. Slaves were imprisoned, chained, and lived in unusual conditions awaiting their transfer in boats to their destination, where they were sold.
History of Ile Goree Island
Goree owing to its strategic location was coveted by early European colonists, and it changed hands dozens of times over the centuries. In 1444, Portuguese navigator Dinis Dias sited the island. Within a few years, the Portuguese set up a trading post and built a church and cemetery. The Dutch arrived in the early 1600s, dislodging the Portuguese, though they would continue to battle for the island – along with the English and the French. Goree remained deeply connected to human enslavement, from 1536 until 1848, when the French abolished the practice.
Following the foundation of Dakar in 1857, Ile de Goree began to decline in importance. It remained something of a backwater for the next hundred years. in 1913 the island again emerged as a teacher’s training college. Many graduates from the school would later help lead the drive toward Senegal’s independence, that achieved in 1960. In 1978, the whole island was inscribed on the Unesco World Heritage list.
Geography and Geology
Goree is a small island 900 meters in length and 350 meters in width sheltered by the Cap-Vert Peninsula. Now part of the city of Dakar, it was a minor port and site of European settlement along the coast. Volcanism on the Cap-Vert Peninsula took place in five episodes from the Oligocene to the Pleistocene, ending about 0.6 million years ago. The volcanic field covers an area of about 100 km2 on the peninsula hosting the capital city of Dakar.
Exploring Ile Goree Island
The present-day Ile de Goree is home to a vibrant arts community designated as a UNESCO world heritage site. Here one can find unique paintings, carvings, and sculptures by many resident artists. Painters and artisans set up their ways in the open air, and visitors can find an assortment of jewelry, baskets, textiles, and other treasures on the south side of the island. Magnificent views of the island and ruins of Fort Saint-Michel are seen here. visitors can enjoy walking under the hot Senegalese sun and cool off with a dip in the sea. A small beach near the ferry dock is the best place to unwind in nature. one can order seafood, grilled items, or Senegalese fare food that overlooks the sands.
Dakar City
One of West Africa’s most dynamic cities, Dakar offers a dizzying mix of sun-kissed beaches, colorful markets, and palm-covered landscapes. Senegal’s capital Dakar is also the gateway to the Ile de Goree, a sleepy tropical island just 3km from the high-rises of downtown. Goree is a peaceful island with a permanent population of around 1,600 people. Pastel-colored houses sit along quiet cobbled streets, deep harbor, and beautiful shores just off the coast of Senegal has offered a magnificent location to expand some memorable times.
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With its sandy, car-free lanes and bougainvillea-draped colonial buildings, Goree island provides a dramatic sea-covered landscape. The island’s shimmering beachfront, and excellent scenery.
How to Visiting Ile Goree Island
Goree has located about 2 km. from the main harbor of Dakar. The island is an easy reachable by ferry from Dakar’s main ferry terminal, located just north of the Plateau district. Ferries depart frequently between Dakar and the island, taking about 20 minutes, with more frequent departures on Sundays. While visiting on day trips from Dakar, there are several appealing places to stay on the island. The Villa Castel and the Maison Augustin Ly is a charming eco-friendly guesthouse near the center of Goree.
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