Palace of the Kings Bell

The Palace of the Kings Bell situated in Douala is a building constructed in 1905 by the Germans for King Auguste Manga Ndumbe (King Bell). The building is also known as La Pagode; this name comes from the French writer Louis-Ferdinand Céline, who remained in Douala in 1916-17, who calls it such in his famous novel Voyage au bout de la nuit (Journey to the End of the Night).[1]

Palace of the Kings Bell
General information
TypePalace
Architectural styleEclectic
Town or cityDouala
CountryCameroon
Coordinates4.04339°N 9.68713°E / 4.04339; 9.68713
Current tenantsA restaurant and espace doual'art
Construction started1905
Completed1905
ClientThe German government for King Auguste Manga Ndumbe (King Bell)
OwnerFamily Bell

History

Ascending to the throne in 1897, Auguste Manga Ndumbe created a large plantation of cocoa and palm oil in Mungo on the effluents of the Kamerun-Wui river, so as to compensate for the decline of the Douala economy based on the trade monopoly with the hinterland. He also carried out significant real estate investments in Bonanjo. At that time, the fortune of Auguste Manga exceeded by far that of his contemporaries and those of Akwa, Deïdo, and Bonabéri. He only lived in this residence for three years, dying in 1908. His son and heir Rudolph Douala Manga Bell reigned from 1908 to 1914, with his wife Emma Engomè Dayas. She was the daughter of British Captain Dayas and a young woman from Bali, Tébédi Eyoum. They lived here until the German authorities jailed Rudolph and hanged him on 8 August 1914. Alexandre Douala Manga Bell, son of the late Rudolph, celebrated as a hero and martyr, chose to live in Bali rather than this mansion. Known today as Le Parc des Princes, this compound includes the Bell’s Chefferie. Since 1920, the old mansion has been occupied by a long list of inhabitants and is still owned by the Bell royal family. Because of its history and its architecture, this building has always been an icon in Douala.

In 2006 the building was highlighted by a sign produced by doual'art and designed by Sandrine Dole; the sign presented an historical image of the building and a description of its history.[2]

  • Photp by Emiliano Gandolfi, 2007.
  • Photo by Roberto Paci Dalò, 2010.

See also

References
  1. Louis-Ferdinand Céline, Journey to the End of the Night (Voyage au bout de la nuit), 1932.
  2. Palace of the Kings Bell in Douala Ville d'art et d'histoire, doual'art, Douala, 2006.

Further reading
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