Goré Island (Dakar, Senegal) - description, history, location, reviews, photos and videos.

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The island under the name Gore, which evokes not the most pleasant feelings, is located 2 km from the capital of Senegal - Dakar. Despite the proximity to the mainland, due to the lack of fresh water, people settled here only in the middle of the 15th century. These were the Portuguese colonizers. And it was the Europeans who made the name of the island "talking". Here for 300 years there was a transshipment point - the slaves were waiting to be sent overseas, huddling 20 people in tiny rooms 3 by 3 m. After buying them, they were herded into the holds of ships, and the last thing they saw when moving from one prison to another - coast of the island of Gore. Today, this place has turned into a kind of memorial, a must-see for all guests of Dakar. Since 1978 the island has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

What to see

Gore is quite compact, only 0.5 sq. km, it will take no more than 2-3 hours to get to know him. The first feeling that you experience when you step on its land is peace. The island is very picturesque and, in contrast to Dakar, very quiet. Its small Catholic churches side by side with stylish villas with cozy green gardens. But with the realization that millions of people passed by luxurious mansions, whose lives were bought for a couple of coins, it becomes a little uncomfortable.

In addition to villas for administrative workers, a significant part of the architectural heritage of the island is made up of soldiers' barracks. Several hundred military men were stationed here, who watched the slaves and, in which case, suppressed the riots and prevented attempts to escape. Also, hotels were actively built on Gor - for buyers of live goods. Hotels, by the way, continue to be used for their intended purpose today.

But with the concrete bunkers scattered all over the island with the remains of guns, the situation is the opposite, they have never been fired from. Massive fortifications were built by the French in the interwar period to protect against the enemy fleet.

One of the main attractions is the House of Slaves. Interestingly, the building was built at the end of the 18th century, that is, when slavery had already been abolished. It was visited by Nelson Mandela, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Pope John Paul II and other iconic personalities. Now the Museum of the History of the Slave Trade is open in the house.

Practical information

Address: Dakar, GPS coordinates: 14.6672935,-17.4008585.

Ferries to Gore Island run from the pier near the Dakar railway station every hour (pier coordinates: 14.6737332, -17.4316129). Round trip ticket price: 5000 XOF, travel time: 20 minutes. Prices on the page are for October 2018.

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• Where to stay: the best place to stop and see all the sights and natural beauties of West Africa is Dakar. For lovers of a classic beach holiday, the Les Almadie resort is perfect, which is located just a few tens of kilometers from the center of the capital.
• What to see: The Grand Mosque and the Presidential Palace of the noisy capital of the country - Dakar, in the vicinity of which there is a "city of the past and present" - the original Thies and the unique Retba Lake, the waters of which are painted in bright pink. Other must-see: picturesque city-island

Ile de Gorée (fr. Île de Gorée) is one of the 19 districts of the city of Dakar. Also known under this name is an island with an area of ​​0.182 square kilometers, located just 2 kilometers from the main port of Dakar. As of early 2005, just over one thousand people lived there. Thus, Ile de Goret is the smallest and least populated area of ​​Dakar.

This island was infamous for being the center of the Atlantic slave trade. In fact, a relatively small number of slaves were taken from there to various plantations. The most important centers of trade in slaves from Senegal were the mouths of the large Saint-Louis rivers and the south of the Gambia. Today this site is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Gorée Island is the last African land seen by black slaves on their way to the New World.

Goré Island is one of the first African territories where Europeans appeared. The Portuguese were the first to land on it in 1444. Then the Dutch bought this island from the local leader for a small amount and established their control over it by 1588. Goré became a staging post for Dutch ships on their way from the Gold Coast (modern Ghana) to the Caribbean. The Dutch and pile this island "Gore" - "Goree". in honor of the Dutch island of Goeree.

Although there is a version that the Senegalese island of Goré got its name because of its quiet harbor. In Dutch, "good harbor" is goode reede. Yachts, boats, boats are the main mode of transport here. The islanders move on land on foot, the island is small, but a boat or a boat is simply necessary for the locals. Although mass movement by sea is carried out by ferry, buying a boat is the dream of any mountaineer. Companies that provide services for the sale of water transport have an excellent opportunity to find their customers.

The island changed hands many times. The British took control of it, then it was again recaptured by the Dutch. It was then given to the French during France's expansion of its maritime borders. In 1802, under the terms of the Treaty of Amiens, Gorai became a French territory and remained so until Senegal's independence in 1960.

The island is located 2.5 km south of the port of Dakar, is a commune of the capital district. The area of ​​Gore is only 0.182 km² (900 by 350 m), but its population is 1102 people, the density exceeds 6 thousand inhabitants per square meter. km. The island is a tourist site, it is forbidden to use cars. Gore is connected to Dakar by a ferry crossing.

For Europeans, Goré was discovered by the Portuguese navigator Dinis Dias in 1444, after which the island went down in history as one of the largest centers of the slave trade in the 15th-19th centuries under the tutelage of the Portuguese, Dutch, British and French. In addition to the slave trade, under the control of England and France, peanuts, leather, gold, and spices were traded. From the middle of the 19th century, with the founding of Dakar and the cessation of the slave trade, Goré gradually began to decline. If in 1891 the population of Gore was 2.1 thousand people, and 8.7 thousand inhabitants lived in Dakar, then already in 1926 - 700 and 33679, respectively.

The island has well-preserved buildings both for the maintenance of slaves and the houses of slave traders. In 1978, the island became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In 1996, after the reform of the administrative structure of the country, Goré became one of the 19 communes of Dakar.

Goré was an important point on the coast of Africa for merchants and slave traders who traveled under the French flag. After the slave trade was banned in France in 1848, the island became an important maritime watchdog. Although the role of this island as a trading center was decreasing, it became the point through which French influence spread deep into African territories.

Now this island is very popular with tourists visiting Senegal, due to the fact that Gore used to be the most important point of the slave trade.

Now there is a museum on the island of Gore.

“The removal of slaves from the island of Goré continued from the time it was started by the Portuguese in 1538 until it was abolished by the French 312 years later. The ocean around is so deep that any attempt to escape from this place meant certain death. With a five-kilogram metal weight tied around their legs or neck, any African caught knew what an attempt to jump into the water would lead to.

Now the island has about 1300 inhabitants and it is so so quiet that there are no cars and no crime. And those who visit the island of Gore are advised to behave decently, like pilgrims visiting holy places, and not like tourists.

Most visitors don't even spend one night on Gorai - there's only one hotel.

During his 1981 visit to the Isle of Gorée, former French Prime Minister Michel Rocard said: "To be honest, it's not easy for a white man to visit the House of Slaves without feeling bad."

The Pope also visited the island in 1992 and offered repentance, as many Catholic missionaries are known to have been involved in the slave trade.

The House of Slaves was also visited by former South African President Nelson Mandela three years before his election. He even insisted on going down to the narrow basement where the slaves were kept.

With a length of 900 meters and a width of 350 meters, the Île de Goret is practically devoid of drinking water, and therefore it was not inhabited until the arrival of Europeans. The first to establish their presence on the island were the Portuguese. They built a small stone chapel there and used the land as a cemetery. Gorée is known as the site of the House of Slaves, built by a mixed Afro-French family around 1780-1784. It is currently used as a tourist attraction that showcases the horrors of the slave trade.

The House of Slaves (Maison des Esclaves) was designed to contain slaves until they were sold and transported by sea.

However, as the studies of the first African professor of history at the Sorbonne, Raymond Maunu in 1959, proved, the "House of Slaves" was not the main center of the slave trade. From here, probably no more than a few hundred slaves were sent to American plantations a year. At the same time, they were delivered on merchant ships, and not on those that were originally intended to transport slaves. After the decline in the slave trade from Senegal in the 1770s and 1880s, the city became an important shipping port for peanuts, peanut butter, gum arabic, ivory and other goods of the "legitimate" trade.

In February 1794, France abolished the slave trade. This happened after the French Revolution, but in May 1802, Napoleon, after numerous exhortations from the owners of sugar cane plantations in the Caribbean, restored it. The position of the emperor was actively supported by his wife, Josephine de Beauharnais, who, as you know, was the daughter of a wealthy planter from Martinique. In March 1815, Napoleon finally abolished the slave trade in order to build relations with Great Britain (Scotland never recognized slavery, so England also abolished the slave trade in 1807).

Ile de Goret is connected to the mainland by a regular 30-minute ferry service. There are no cars here, and residents move on foot. Currently, it acts mainly as a monument to the slave trade. The city center has been refocused on tourists. Many historic commercial and residential buildings have been converted into restaurants and hotels. There are three museums here: one dedicated to women, another to the history of Senegal, and a third to the sea. Also of interest are the castle and a small beach.

In Senegal, there is the African Renaissance Monument (in honor of the independence of Senegal from France), whose height is 49 meters, and the location itself is more massive: two figures of people are used. It was built in Dakar already in our century and completed in 2010.

Taal Lake in Luzon, in the northern part of the Philippines archipelago, is recognized as one of the most unique in the world. The fact is that this is one of two lakes on the planet that have an island of the third order inside. In other words, Taal, which is located on the island of Luzon, has its own volcanic island, inside of which there is another crater lake containing another small island inside called Volcano Point. So this amazing matryoshka is obtained: island in a lake on an island in a lake on an island! If you have not yet begun to celebrate Friday and the upcoming New Year holidays, then you will surely be able to easily understand the previous phrase.

Another similar lake with lakes and islands inside is located in Canada. We are talking about a nameless island, with an area of ​​1.6 hectares, which is located inside a small, also unnamed lake, which, in turn, lies inside another slightly larger one. This place is located approximately 90 kilometers inland from the south coast of Victoria Island. On the map in Google Maps, you can see it by setting the following coordinates: 69.793°N, 108.241°W.

Here are some photos of Taal Lake on Luzon Island:

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This year, the rating was headed by the island of Providenciales in the Caribbean, and only two representatives of the past laureates remained in the top ten - Thailand's Tau and the famous Bora Bora. And this fact should not surprise anyone, since the tourist market is difficult to predict and it is simply impossible to predict which destination will become popular this year.

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Maui island in Hawaii

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First of all, when they talk about holidays in Hawaii, they immediately mean surfing and windsurfing. After all, the Hawaiian Islands are a mecca for those who like to swim on the board. In addition, it is on Maui with its small population that you can fully enjoy nature. The raging waterfalls of Haleakao National Park and the amazing bamboo forest, not to mention the traditional warm sandy beaches, attract many tourists. Therefore, the island rightfully occupies the second place in the ranking.

Roatan - paradise in the Caribbean

How often do we hear the words - "The wrong country was called Honduras" in a negative sense, expressed in relation to their own country. However, if you look closely at the latter, then Honduras is just another good comparison. Especially if you look at the rest on the island of Roatan, which belongs to Honduras.

The island is surrounded by coral reefs and is covered with magnificent beaches, which makes it just the perfect holiday destination, both for the usual beach pastime and for all diving enthusiasts. An ideal place has been created here for lovers of ecotourism (the Carambola Botanical Garden is famous for its tropical park of exotic birds) and for various kinds of entertainment - from sea fishing to all water sports.

Tranquility and romance in Santorini

The islands of the Cyclades amaze everyone with their amazing natural beauty. The most mysterious and beautiful in this archipelago is Santorini, which owes its birth to volcanic lava.

This island is often called romantic, but unlike most of the "paradise" ocean islands, which received their title due to their wildlife and white sand beaches, Santorini earned this title thanks to the houses carved into the rocks, which attract tourists from all over the world with their snow-white facades and bright blue roofs. .

Unlike most of the islands on the list, people come to Santorini not for diving or extreme entertainment, but to kindle a real fire in loving hearts. And most of the tourists are newlyweds, whom the island pleases with its unforgettable romance and positive.

Bright diving on Koh Tao island in Thailand

The waters of the Gulf of Thailand sheltered the cozy island of Tao, or "Turtle Island", shaded with palm trees. The island got its name due to the numerous colonies of sea turtles that have chosen its snow-white sandy beaches. Once the island was uninhabited and only turtles were its only inhabitants. White sand and azure clear water around the island cannot but delight tourists, who, like the majestic reptiles many centuries ago, have now chosen these beaches.

However, this resort island is not only famous for its white sandy hills and sunny 300 days a year, allowing you to lazily sunbathe on the beach. However, the island attracts most tourists with its underwater beauties.

It is diving on Koh Tao that is the most popular type of outdoor activity. Coral reefs rich in marine life, more than 30 dive sites of varying difficulty, including shipwrecks and short distances to dive sites - all this makes Koh Tao the "Diving Mecca" of Southeast Asia.

A safe haven for travelers - Madeira Island

The Portuguese island of Madeira has for many centuries served as a haven for all travelers who rushed to conquer the Atlantic. This paradise in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean for six centuries, thanks to its mild and temperate climate, has been a holiday destination not only for sailors, but also for the wealthy European elite.

At the same time, most tourists come here not to bask on the beaches, since they simply do not exist here, but for an active pastime. The island is a real expanse for lovers of hunting and fishing, diving and windsurfing, and green tourism. The main attractions of the island are the Madeira National Reserve and its Botanical Gardens. It is here that you can see all the worldwide diversity of flora that the Portuguese have collected over the three centuries of their rule of the sea.

Island of the Gods - Bali

In Indonesia, between the two largest islands of Lombok and Java, there is a cozy picturesque corner that attracts tourists with its majestic volcanoes Gunung-Angung and Kintamimini, pristine tropical forests and blue lagoons.

The island's shores hide delightful temple complexes and a sacred monkey forest, where mischievous primates will give tourists a little boost of energy in exchange for small sweets for them. In addition, Bali is a kind of Indian enclave in the middle of Muslim Indonesia, and it is here that you can relax on the coast, strengthening your spirit in yoga classes.

While the island's main draw is its white sandy beaches, along with the coral landscapes that surround it, attracting divers from all over the world, Bali has a few other must-see spots. One of them is the 20,000-hectare Barat National Park. It is in it that you can see all kinds of combinations of flora and fauna in the primordial wild world without bars and aviaries.

A sandy paradise in mesmerizing Mauritius

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Mauritius is almost completely surrounded by reefs, so it is an ideal place for diving and fishing. It is here that you can see and catch the very fish that every fisherman dreams of getting into his trophies - various types of marlin, sailfish and bright representatives of the shark family.

Bora Bora - the island of romantics in love

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Bora Bora has plenty to offer, from coral garden expeditions and visits to the majestic mountains to extreme snorkeling and diving. Moreover, one of the most interesting entertainments is hand-feeding local stingrays and sharks.

Paradise holidays on the beaches of Fernando de Noronha

Fernando de Noronha is the name of an archipelago located near Brazil, and consisting of more than twenty islands. However, the inhabited and, accordingly, the most popular of this cohort is the largest island, which attracts all beach lovers. In addition, this archipelago has been included in the UNESCO Cultural Heritage List for fifteen years now, since it is in its waters that large populations of dolphins, sea turtles and cetaceans live.

It is here that the Baia do Sancho beach is located, which has become a real mecca for all lovers of sea holidays and has firmly entered the list of the best beaches in the world. This famous crescent-shaped beach is surrounded on all sides by rocks and in order to get to it you need to go down seventy-meter stairs. However, it's worth it - the bay around the beach is a real natural treasure. The bay is a natural pool surrounded by solidified lava, in which the water is always crystal clear.