Bafut palace, Traditional chiefdom in Bafut, Northwest Region, Cameroon.

Bafut Palace, the chefferie of Bafut, is a complex of more than 50 buildings in Cameroon's Northwest Region, about 18 km from Bamenda. The houses are built of fired earth bricks with tiled roofs, grouped around the Achum sanctuary, the most important structure, rebuilt around 1910 after German troops destroyed it in 1907. The sanctuary is made of carved wood, bamboo and straw, and a sacred forest borders the chief's residence.

The palace was founded more than 400 years ago and houses the tombs of the first three Bafut kings: Firloo, Nebasi Suh, and Ambebi. These burials established it as a royal center that symbolized continuity and power across generations.

The Achum Shrine serves as the center for religious ceremonies and community gatherings, where the Fon leads traditional rituals that remain part of everyday court life. This sacred space brings together spiritual practice and social bonds in a way that shapes how the place functions today.

The chefferie lies about 18 km from Bamenda, in Mezam department, Northwest Region. The Achum sanctuary is reserved for chiefs and notables, so visitors see it from outside. The Bafut Presscraft Center and the museums are the parts open to tourists.

A sacred forest surrounds the palace grounds, creating a natural boundary between the royal residence and the surrounding Bafut settlement. This wooded zone is deeply linked to the place's spiritual character and sets it apart from everyday life.