Asante Traditional Buildings, Ghana

Asante Traditional Buildings are ruins from the Asante Empire, a pre-colonial West African empire that was created by the Akan people. The Asante empire stretched from central Ghana to present-day Togo and Côte d'Ivoire.

The Asante empire was formed in the mid 17th century, when the Oyoko clan under the leadership of Chief Oti Akenten started to consolidate his power over the other Asante clans into a loose confederation. The first king of the Asante empire was Osei Tutu, who ruled from 1670 to 1717. He was said to have derived his authority from a golden stool which descended from the heavens at the command of the high priest, Okomfo Anokye, and floated down to the lap of Osei Tutu. The high priest declared that the stool was the symbol of the new Asante confederation, and all the chieftains were to swore allegiance to the golden stool and to Osei Tutu.

The architecture of the Asante civilization reached its pinnacle in the 18th century. The abodes were made of earth, wood and straw, and embellished with tribal patterns. The traditional buildings of the Asante located in northeast Kumasi are the last remaining examples of the Asante style buildings.

Asante Traditional Buildings were inscribed as a World Heritage Site during the 4th session of the World Heritage Committee which met in Paris, France, on 1-5 September, 1980.

World Heritage Site Inscription Details

Location: N 6 24 4 W 1 37 33
Inscription Year: 1980
Type of Site: Cultural
Inscription Criteria: V

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