One of Porto-Novo's most striking buildings: a 19th-century church built by Brazilian returnees — descendants of freed slaves who came back to West Africa — that was later converted into a mosque. The Brazilian-influenced architecture, with its ochre facade and ornate detailing, stands out sharply against the surrounding streets and is a direct trace of the city's Atlantic slave-trade history.
Brazilian Mosque
Brazilian-built church turned mosque, a trace of the slave trade
A story
The building was erected by the Aguda community — Beninese descendants of freed Brazilian slaves who returned to Porto-Novo in the 19th century, bringing with them Portuguese-Baroque building styles, a taste for elaborate dress, and festival traditions that persist to this day.