Maison des Esclaves, Goree, Dakar

Maison des Esclaves, Goree - darkometer rating : 7 - The most (in)famous dark site in Senegal . It was an especially sinister kind of "trading post", namely where those captured and destined to be sold off as slaves, typically to the plantations in the Americas, were "warehoused" before being "dispatched" off across the Atlantic. The site is accordingly known simply as the Maison des Esclaves, literally 'House of Slaves', and is located on the small, quiet island of Goree, just a short boat trip out from Senegal's bustling capital city Dakar . > More background info > What there is to see > Location > Access and costs > Time required > Combinations with other dark destinations > Combinations with non-dark destinations > Photos More background info: Of course, one could argue that the topic of the slave trade of the 16th to 19th century falls a bit outside the scope of the more modern concept of dark tourism , which is normally concerned with the period beginning with advent of the 20th century. However, given the high profile of the site as a dark tourism attraction, both within the local tourism infrastructure and in the literature about dark tourism and associated concepts, it cannot go unmentioned here. It may even be considered the Number One site in Africa representing the evil topic of slavery – which is generally regarded as one of humanity's largest scale and longest drawn-out crimes ever. Goree island has always enjoyed a strategically advantageous location and thus was of particular interest to most of the big European players in the colonial expansions from the 15th century onwards.