Attraction · Gwollu
Gwollu Slave Defence Wall
A 19th-century mud-and-brick defence wall in Gwollu, Upper West Region, built by Gwollu Koro Limann against slave traders and managed by the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board.
Photo: Sir Amugi · Source
Explore Ghana
Monuments in Upper West Region
The Upper West Region holds some of Ghana's most quietly powerful monuments, and this page gathers three of them. Two stand in Gwollu, a small town with an outsized place in the story of resistance and republicanism: the Gwollu Slave Defence Wall, a 19th-century mud-and-brick wall built by Gwollu Koro Limann against slave traders, and the Dr Hilla Limann Mausoleum, the burial place and memorial of Ghana's 8th President and the only president of the Third Republic, set inside the chief's compound. In Wa town, the Wa Naa's Palace is the traditional palace and official residence of the Wa Naa, a gazetted national monument in Sudano-Sahelian mud-brick style.
What links them is that all three are recognised heritage sites, cared for as monuments and rooted in the communities around them. What differs is their character. The defence wall speaks of protection and a community's stand against the slave trade; the mausoleum is a place of national remembrance for a president; the palace is living tradition, still the seat of a chief. Together they show the region's history as something continuous rather than confined to the past.
Good to know
Before you go
Plan your visits around Wa, the region's main town and the natural base for reaching Gwollu. The Gwollu Slave Defence Wall and the Dr Hilla Limann Mausoleum are both in Gwollu, so they pair well in a single outing, while the Wa Naa's Palace sits in Wa itself. The palace is a traditional residence and the mausoleum lies within the chief's compound, so both are places where people live and work: dress modestly, ask before taking photographs, and follow any guidance given on the day. The wall is managed by the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board. Before travelling, check current opening arrangements and whether a guide or permission is needed, as these can change.
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Places to explore
Attraction · Wa
Wa Naa's Palace
Wa Naa's Palace is the traditional palace and official residence of the Wa Naa in Wa town, Upper West Region, and a gazetted national monument in Sudano-Sahelian mud-brick style.
Photo: U.S. Embassy Ghana · Source
Attraction
Attraction · Gwollu
Dr Hilla Limann Mausoleum / Tomb
The burial place and memorial of Dr Hilla Limann, Ghana's 8th President and the only president of the Third Republic, inside the chief's compound in Gwollu, Upper West Region.