Tower houses of the Batammariba
Koutammakou, in northern Togo and extending into Benin, is the land of the Batammariba people, whose earth tower houses, called takienta, are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Each house is a small fortress of mud turrets topped with granaries and conical thatched roofs, with living spaces and animal shelters inside. Local guides explain how the houses are built and the ceremonies connected with them. The landscape of farmland, sacred sites and villages is a living tradition rather than a museum.