Besease Shrine

The Asante built in wattle and daub with steep thatched roofs, and almost nothing of that architecture survives: ten shrine houses remain of what was once a large body of palaces, shrines and dwellings, and together they form the World Heritage inscription of the Asante Traditional Buildings. Besease at Ejisu is one of the most accessible and best presented. The plan is the standard one, four rectangular rooms around an open courtyard, three open-fronted and one enclosed as the shrine itself, with the walls carrying bas-relief decoration in the adinkra and arabesque motifs the tradition uses. The building was restored in the 1990s. It remains in ritual use, and it stands in the town associated with Yaa Asantewaa.

The main sights

• The courtyard plan - four rooms around an open central court.
• Bas-relief decoration - the moulded motifs on the walls.
• The thatched roof - the steep-pitched traditional roofing.
• The shrine room - the enclosed chamber still in ritual use.

When to go

November to March in the dry season. The site keeps daytime hours with a caretaker guide, and it is worth confirming someone is present before travelling. Ritual days may restrict access.

Before you go

The building is small and the visit takes under an hour. Interpretation depends entirely on the caretaker. Some areas are closed as active shrine space and photography may be restricted. The other nine inscribed buildings are scattered and mostly harder to reach.

Nearby

Kumasi lies west; Bobiri forest reserve is east.