Wa Naa's Palace

The palace of the Wa Naa, the paramount chief of the Wala, stands in the centre of Wa, built in the West African Sudanese style of mud over a timber frame with a facade of buttressed pilasters rising into pinnacles and projecting support beams, the same architectural family as the mosques at Larabanga and further north in Mali. It dates in its present form to the nineteenth century and is one of the largest surviving examples of the style in Ghana. It remains the seat of the chieftaincy and is in use, so visits depend on permission from the palace and on what is happening there; a guide from the palace shows the exterior and, when allowed, parts of the courtyards.

History

By the account historians give, the Wala were once nomadic herders who came from the north and, once settled, installed a king - the origin of the title Wa Naa. The palace is said to have been built in the 19th century of sun-dried mud brick, with Y-shaped wooden posts holding up flat roofs of bush poles covered in mud, and laid out to resist attack. Former kings are buried in front of it, and it is still home to the Wa Naa's family, staff and officials; in the palace the chief sits on a lion or antelope skin, others on the skin of a cow or sheep (Wikipedia, Wa Naa's Palace).

What to look for

• The buttressed facade - the pilasters and pinnacles of the Sudanese style.
• Mud construction - the earth walls over a timber frame.
• The courtyards - the interior spaces when access is granted.
• The working chieftaincy - the palace in its continuing use.

When to go

November to March in the dry season, when the mud fabric is in best condition after re-plastering. Weekday mornings are best for finding someone to arrange a visit. Ceremonial days may close it entirely.

Before you go

Access is entirely at the palace's discretion and may be refused; this is a residence and seat of authority, not a museum. Photography needs permission. The building has suffered from deterioration and repairs are not always sympathetic. Fees are informal.

Nearby

Wechiau hippo sanctuary lies southwest; Wa is the regional capital.

Key facts