Born from the will of German Governor August Köhler to make the new colonial capital visible from the sea, the Palace of the Governors (now the Palais de Lomé) was erected in seven years, from 1898 to 1905, under the technical direction of the engineer Furtkamp. It was then the symbol of the power and prosperity of the German colony.
Initially the residence of German and then French governors, it was used as the seat of the Togolese state until 1970. From 1976 to 1991, the Palace became the “Palace of the Distinguished Guests of the Togolese Republic” before becoming the residence of the Prime Minister’s Office in September 1991.
Following the socio-political unrest in 1990 and 1991, the Palace became a symbol of political protest. The building was significantly deteriorated and then was left in ruins for more than twenty years.
For the first time in its history, this place once forbidden, is now accessible to all Togolese. An opportunity to reconnect with the history of our country, while giving our cultures international visibility.
