The Benin Wall, built in 1010 AD, is known to have been the largest man-made structure in West Africa, located in the Old Benin Kingdom.

The Wall of Benin was built in the 13th century. The length of the wall was approximately 16,000 kilometres, with a height of 66 feet occupying 814 acres.

The Wall is situated in the Benin Kingdom, which is located in the south-western part of Nigeria. It was recorded that the Walls of Benin were four times longer than the Great Wall of China and that they consumed a hundred times more material than the Great Pyramid of Cheops.

Benin, the capital of Edo State, is famous for its artifacts, which were stolen by the British in 1897 during the British expedition and displayed in the British Museum. Although some artifacts have since been returned to the Benin Kingdom many years later, others continue to remain in the British Museum.

It was during the expedition that the Wall of Benin was destroyed by the British troops. This wall was built to surround the whole of the Benin Kingdom.

In the 1974 edition of the Guiness Book of Records, the Wall of Benin was described as the world’s largest earthwork carried out before the modern era by mankind, made up of banks and ditches called “Iya” in Edo.

The Wall was built by the people of Benin and stood for 400 years, protecting the Kingdom from attack as the wall totally surrounded the city.

However, parts of the walls are said to be visible in some parts of Benin. It was stated that Benin City was the first to assemble street lights with huge metal lamps, many feet high, built and placed around the city.