History of Gorée Island: The House of Slaves and the Door of No Return

The House of Slaves is the most symbolic building on Gorée Island, Senegal, built in 1776 and known for its Door of No Return, the point from which thousands of enslaved people were shipped to the Americas. The island was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978, largely for this historical memory value.

(For practical information on planning your visit to Gorée — how to get there, what else to see besides the House of Slaves, how much time to allow — see our complete guide to Gorée Island →.)

From colonial trading post to a symbol of memory

Between the 15th and 20th centuries, Gorée changed hands between the Portuguese, Dutch, English and French, who contested control of the island for its strategic position facing Dakar. That period left a colonial architecture that today coexists, on the very same streets, with one of the continent's most visited sites of memory.

Gorée's role in the transatlantic slave trade

During the 17th and 18th centuries, Gorée served as one of the transit points of the transatlantic slave trade in West Africa. Historians debate how closely the actual number of people who physically passed through the island matches its symbolic weight — other ports in the region handled larger volumes — but it is precisely that symbolic value, consolidated from the 20th century onward, that has made Gorée a world reference point for the memory of slavery.

The House of Slaves

Built in 1776, the House of Slaves is the island's most visited building. Its ground floor holds the cells where people were held before being shipped out, separated by sex and age, while the upper floor housed the merchants. The contrast between the two spaces — cramped cells below, spacious rooms above — is itself part of the story the site conveys.

The Door of No Return

At the back of the building, facing the ocean, stands the Door of No Return: the opening through which, according to oral tradition and much of the site's museography, enslaved people were led directly onto the ships bound for the Americas. It is today the most photographed and emotionally charged spot on the island, visited by heads of state and public figures from around the world as an act of remembrance.

UNESCO recognition and memory today

In 1978, Gorée became one of the first African sites declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognising both its architectural value and its role as a site of memory for the transatlantic slave trade. Since then, the island has welcomed thousands of visitors, researchers and descendants of the African diaspora each year, drawn there as part of a personal or historical journey.

Frequently asked questions about Gorée's history

In what year was the House of Slaves built?

In 1776.

Where is the Door of No Return located?

Inside the House of Slaves, at the back of the building, facing the sea.

When was Gorée declared a World Heritage Site?

In 1978.

How do I plan a visit to the House of Slaves along with the rest of the island? We cover all the practical details in our complete guide to Gorée Island →.