Benin City, Ancient capital city in southern Nigeria
Benin City sits in southern Nigeria and serves as the capital of Edo State, with a busy downtown and spreading suburbs. Streets radiate from the Oba Market area in several directions, while residential neighborhoods fill the space between palm groves and newer buildings.
The city emerged in the thirteenth century as the center of the Edo Kingdom and remained a major trading hub until British troops arrived in 1897. Portuguese merchants came as early as the fifteenth century and created early ties between the region and Europe.
The Igue festival marks the traditional new year celebrations in Benin City, with ceremonial activities centered around the Oba's palace.
The city has road links to Lagos in the west and to eastern states, with regular traffic along main routes. Ports like Koko and Sapele in the Niger Delta are reachable from here and offer connections to the coastal region.
The pre-colonial settlement was surrounded by one of the longest earthwork systems ever built by humans, requiring centuries of manual labor. These fortifications stretched over wide areas and showed the organizational ability of Edo society.
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