No visit to Senegal would be complete without going to Gorée island. That would be tantamount to skipping Buckingham Palace and the Eiffel Tower if one went to London and Paris.
Gorée is an island off the coast of Senegal that can be reached by ferry daily. The island was a busy trading center in the 18th and 19th centuries and many houses of this period still stand today. Perhaps the most infamous is La Maison des Esclaves (the House of Slaves) where slaves were kept before being shipped to the Americas. This site has spiritual significance for people of African descent. As one walks through the dark dungeons, one begins to imagine the horrors that occurred. The Slave House curator also provided more grisly details.
Slave dungeon
Standing at the dark door of no return
Shackles
Information board
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