Ganvie village on stilts is located in the southern part of Benin. Name of the village literally means "community of those who have finally found peace." It is the largest village on stilts in Africa and this is extremely quiet and peaceful. The only means of transport is a boat. All the buildings, including the royal palace, hotel, shops are 2 m above the surface of the lake Nokoue. Ganvie village was founded in the sixteenth or seventeenth century by the people of the tribe Tofinou fleeing the slavers. Benin (formerly Dahomey) was located on the coast of slavery, which for centuries were taken at least 3 million men, women and children to Brazil, the Caribbean and North America. Slaves caught people with militant tribe Fon, which religion forbade entering the water. People Tofinou learned to build, fishing and trade on the water, and grow plants underwater. There are the only objects on the ground is a school and a cemetery. Houses on stilts are built of wood and reeds, and are resistant to moisture and bad weather.
lakes and riversvillages and rural areasAtlantique, BeninGanvie, Atlantique, Benin