Agongointo-Zoungoudo- Travel Tips

What to See, How to Plan & Tours

The Agongointo-Zoungoudo underground village is an archaeological site in Benin's Zou department, located near Bohicon, 9 km from Abomey and 115 km from Cotonou. Discovered in 1998 during road construction, this 7-hectare complex consists of 52 laterite clay chambers, roughly 10 meters underground, dating back to the 16th century under King Dakodonu of Abomey. The structures, locally called ahouandô ("war holes"), served as living quarters and shelters for warriors, featuring rooms for sleeping, cooking, and wells. Part of the Bohicon Archaeological Park, the site also includes Vodou religious elements, such as a Dan fetish near a strangler fig entwined around a baobab. A UNESCO World Heritage nomination was submitted in 1998.