Gorée Hall

Presentation

 Discovered in 1444 by Portuguese sailors under the command of Denis Dias, the island was called "Palma" but it is also called "Beseguiche" in documents of the time, while the local people called "Bir" or " Ber ".

The Dutch navy seized it in 1588 and renamed the "Goede Reede" (= good harbor) hence its name Goree.

On 1 November 1677, the Estrées Vice Admiral took possession on behalf of the King of France.

The island was later occupied by the English before being returned to France in 1817.

Goree Island had many benefits for mariners: safe anchorage, near a continent which opened great possibilities of commerce and place defense facilities. All reasons that the European powers were fought.

Its prosperity was linked to trade including that of slaves who was one of the foundations of economic organization of the American colonies.

The slave trade to the Americas extended over three centuries on the coast of Africa (Gambia, Senegal, Benin, Ghana ...). The concentration camp centers of African slaves bound for America from the current Senegal were St. Louis, Rufisque, Saly Portudal Ziguinchor, Carabane and, to a much lesser extent, Goree.

On the island, the former home of the Signare Anna Colas Pépin, known worldwide under the name Slave House is more symbolic than historical place because the deportations from Goree were very minor in comparison to other centers the west African coast or to the Slave coast (Benin). Nevertheless the name of Goree is closely tied to that tragic period.

The abolition of the early nineteenth century and then of slavery in 1848 signaled the end of the hopes of the island. 

Dakar was founded in 1857 and the activity it moved quickly. The population of the island fell by almost 5 000 in 1832 to 600 in 1931. Goree Island was annexed in Dakar in 1927. In 1996 , the Senegalese Parliament is in favor of a thorough reform of the territorial organization of the country. As part of the decentralization policy, the municipality of Dakar , become too large and too populated , saw divided into 19 district municipalities to which the greatest powers were conferred . With the title of " Island District Municipality of Gorée ," she continued possession of the buildings of the old town hall in the center of the island, a building that had housed the town hall of the previous common between Goree 1872 and 1929 . Now the town of Goree is managed by a municipal council , democratically elected . Goree with 1102 inhabitants about these is very visited because of its history.