Tower houses
Two-storey mud homes.
Magnim Kennedy — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Magnim Kennedy — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Nero2022 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Magnim Kennedy — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Kadi1366 — CC BY-SA 4.0
Koutammakou, the land of the Batammariba people, is a cultural landscape in northern Togo on the border with Benin, on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2004 and extended in 2023. It lies about 16 km in a straight line from the town of Kandé. The Tammari people have lived here for hundreds of years, having migrated to the area in the 17th or 18th century. Their traditional houses, known as Siken, are the official national symbol of Togo and reflect the community's beliefs and traditions. In 2008 UNESCO launched a programme to safeguard their intangible heritage, from crafts, building, dance and music to archery and oral traditions. Across the valley between green hills stand tower-like mud houses, many of two storeys and some with flat roofs. Granaries wear conical thatched caps, small pointed knobs rise from the round mud rooftops where families dry crops, and huge baobabs shade the yards. The villages are lived in, so visit with a local guide, ask before entering homes or photographing people, and respect sacred places. The area is well away from the Burkina Faso border, but check travel advice before you go.
Two-storey mud homes.
Pointed mud knobs.
Green hills and baobabs.
Near Kandé, Kara Region, northern Togo
Traditional tower-like mud houses, Togo's national symbol.
A local guide is advised to visit respectfully.