Temple des Pythons, Voodoo shrine in Ouidah, Benin.
The Temple of Pythons houses over sixty royal pythons in a circular building with clay roofs near the central plaza of Ouidah.
The temple emerged in 1717 when King Kpassè established three huts after pythons protected him from Ghézo warriors during a conflict.
Priests at the Temple of Pythons display ritual scarification marks that mirror python patterns, indicating their formal initiation into Vodun practices.
Access to the temple requires a three-dollar entrance fee, which includes a guided tour of the grounds and opportunities to handle the pythons.
The pythons within the temple maintain their natural hunting behaviors by catching mice and chickens once per week in the sacred space.
Location: Ouidah
GPS coordinates: 6.35997,2.08504
Latest update: May 24, 2025 09:00
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